Pool Table For Two
by il0vesunfl0wers
Summary: Sometimes you just need to take a shot and go with it. Ravy. Spoilers through Pale Demon.
1. Chapter 1

Spoilers through Pale Demon. It's been a while since I've read the series, so chances are I might have missed something. So please definitely point out any inaccuracy you might find.

Disclaimer: The Hollows belongs to Kim Harrison. These constructed paragraphs came from my imagination, however, because dammit, we need more Ravy! So don't sue me...

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><p><strong>Pool Table For Two<strong>

by Athena, a.k.a. il0vesunfl0wers

I stared at the pool table, and for a moment I saw an image of Kisten lining up his next shot. He turned to me with a knowing smile and winked at me, only to fade away into nothingness. My heart clenched. Even though I was handling his absence better, sometimes I still couldn't bear the loss. This billiard table, well, and the caps and bracelet, were all I had left of him. Of all those things, the table left the most bitterness, for I had never seen him feeling so abandoned and betrayed till that fateful night when he stood outside Piscary's after the ancient bastard had condemned him. All his belongings had been thrown outside, including this beloved pool table. His usually blue eyes were black as midnight. Frustration and fury had driven him to brawl with Piscary's goons, only to get thrashed around and pummeled to the ground. It wasn't the best memory, especially since it was the last time I saw him alive.

Ivy and I had decided to move the battered table to the sanctuary, though we hadn't bothered to replace the felt lining. Many times I avoided going near it. The pain was still too much to bear. It hit me most when I felt lost, because I desperately wished that I still had Kisten for support and advice.

"Oh Kisten, I miss you." I reached out tentatively, and then ran my hand lightly along the wooden edge. "I feel so alone. I mean, I know I'm not alone. Just… lonely I guess."

_This is ridiculous._

I was having a one-sided heart-to-heart with my dead boyfriend of all people, but who else was I supposed to talk to? Mom had left on a lovey-dovey trip with Donald. Ceri was busy with the baby. Keasley ran off to who knows where. Bis was too young and too, um, gargoyle to understand the ways of people and relationships. David? Maybe if he wasn't too busy boning the ladies. Trent was completely out of the question. Jenks, well, he'd been so moody, on and off, obviously still grieving Matalina, that I found myself keeping serious talks with him to a minimum. That left Ivy. She was hardly ever home, and I doubt I'd be able to talk to her like this anyway.

_Great, now I feel even worse._

"Fuck my life, I'm a goddamned demon on a leash! Magically neutered. I refuse to feel helpless or useless, but... I have too much time on my hands so it creeps in." It was worse now than when I had to stay put on holy ground because demons were after me. Talk about cabin fever. "Nobody wants to hire me. I miss my mom. I haven't really dated anyone, well, no one worth keeping since you. Who'd want to date a demon?" Marshall stopped going out with me when I was _just _a shunned witch.

"I've pissed off too many people from one too many races. Even my community hates me, or treats me like some leper." Kicked out of grocery stores? Check. Banished from charm shops? Check. "Sure, I've got a little were pack, not that we really do things together much. Vampires, well, I've only really had you and Ivy." My forehead creased, then I sighed in resignation.

"She's been doing much better than when you saw her last. It helps that Piscary's permanently dead. She's… dating Glenn… He's a good guy, good for her," I admitted grudgingly. "But… I… She'd kissed me," I said almost breathlessly. I brushed my lips with my fingers as if I could still feel her. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Then she said goodbye. Except, she's still around, sort of. So near yet so far. I think she's finally moving on without me. I'm such a fool. I could've… We… I'd been so blind not to realize that I really—"

I sighed in exasperation. Even now I was such a coward. I was talking to a dead man and still I had trouble facing my feelings. I'd been too busy trying to stay alive to really consider them. At least that was what I kept telling myself. They'd probably give me a Masters Degree in Denial at the university, since obviously I surpassed the BS program. Fine, I'll admit that my romantic track record was made up of one train wreck after another. I either dated Mr. Wrong or Mr. Right Now. I finally figured out that Ms. Right was the one I wanted all along, not only that, but she was actually Ms. Right Next Door. Hell, she was Ms. Right Across the Hall. Stupid me! Now if she would just stop avoiding me like… like a leper, dammit.

I grabbed the dusty eight ball, and for a moment I wanted to hurl it across the room. I squeezed it hard, wishing it was a stress ball.

Everyone was right: I _am _a stupid, reckless witch!

How I wished that Kisten was here with me now. He'd listen patiently, then tell me what Ivy would be thinking and feeling. He would hold me in his arms and tell me that everything will be okay.

Suddenly, memories flashed, like a movie in my mind, and all I could see was Ivy.

Ivy in her mother's sundress, her tall, svelte figure drawing me in as she spun around to show it off, a shy smile on her face.

Ivy playing the piano when she was too busy to notice me listening. So graceful and knowing with the keys, playing classical, jazz and contemporary pieces, bringing notes to life so beautifully, caressing the keys like a lover, or pounding on them that you'd think they'd explode.

Ivy clad in leather, looking totally badass as she straddled her monster of a bike.

Ivy practicing martial arts with her katana, so light and graceful as she moved in a silent, deadly dance, with only the swishing sounds of the blade that she wielded expertly.

Ivy looking absolutely stunning in a slinky, backless, black, velvet gown, with a long slit that went up from her ankles to mid-thigh, as she left for one of Rynn's shindigs.

Ivy holding me as I fought against the spirit of the Focus, which had possessed my body.

Ivy crying, pleading like a small, broken child for me to watch over her the night Piscary had blood-raped her and made her his scion.

My heart beating wildly as Ivy lay on top of me on the floor when fairies first attacked the church. Me breathing heavily, as I took her scent in.

Ivy cornering me on the kitchen counter, wanting to prove to me that she could control of her bloodlust, my body melting against hers in rapture as her teeth burrowed deeper into my neck and our auras merged.

Brown-eyed Ivy kissing me in San Francisco, her lips and tongue so gentle and reverent against mine, giving me a taste of what I could have.

Ivy laughing because Glenn said something stupid. She smiled and laughed much more easily now, was more relaxed and serene… and not because of me.

I clenched my fists on the pool table, hunched over it as if I had an anvil wedged between my shoulder blades. I was so tired of fighting myself!

"I love her," I whispered, as if it was a dark secret. Why couldn't I have accepted it sooner, that I loved her as more than just a friend? More importantly, why couldn't I tell her how I really felt? Tears trickled down my cheek. "Oh God, I'm losing her, Kisten, or maybe I already have. No... I've lost her." I shut my eyes, dabbed at them, sniffling.

"I really don't know what I'm doing anymore." I stared off into space. "Maybe I should use a memory charm to make me forget for a while, or make others forget me. Maybe I should bag another leprechaun, get myself three more wishes. I'd wish for Ivy to keep her soul after her first death, for Jenks to find happiness again soon, find a new love, and... I can't exactly wish to undo the past, can I? I wonder if there's some spell to rewind time... but that probably needs ley line energy. Black magic. Demon magic. Fuck!" I banged my fists on the pool table. "I might as well just fling myself into the ever-after! I'd be a demon baby factory, but at least I'd be good for something. Or maybe I should just move to another city, another country. Start all over. Somewhere where nobody knows about Rachel Morgan, blacklisted witch and day walking demon, or if they did know, they wouldn't give a damn. I could wish for a new identity, or to simply become untraceable."

My lips twitched into a small smile. Now _that_ would be super duper cool. Unfortunately, life was never _that_ convenient where I was concerned. Besides, if I were really honest with myself, I would want to be found by the ones I love. _The one I love_… who wasn't here.

"I'd be better off just disappearing," I breathed out, quivering as I leaned over the pool table. A few tears escaped, and I watched tiny little wet patches form on the battered, green felt. "Who would miss me anyway?"

"I would," came a grey silk whisper from behind me. It was so soft that I thought I imagined it.

I turned around, gasping. "Ivy!"

She stood several feet away, unmoving except for the slight twitching of her forehead muscles. Her eyes bore into me. "And Jenks. Your mom. Ceri."

I looked away. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough."

Neither of us said anything after that. I couldn't look at her. My cheeks were on fire. Suddenly the sanctuary seemed too small for just the two of us. I'd run away if it wouldn't trigger her instincts. Hell, I'd crawl under the pool table just so she couldn't see me shrivel up and die. I wondered how much she'd heard. I must have sounded real pathetic and desperate. The silence was getting unbearable. I began my retreat to my bedroom where I could sulk in private. "You look tired. I know I am, so… goodnight."

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

_I will not vamp out. I will _not_ vamp out!_

She was talking to Kisten by the wretched pool table. Not good. Not good at all. She rarely went near it. I had seen her walk by it, slow down to a near halt, then speed up and move away. Her look of pain, sorrow and guilt—I couldn't bear to see her face or her slumped shoulders, because I felt the same. I was just better at hiding it. I was incredibly angry—at his murderer, at Piscary, that I was bespelled and could do nothing to stop it. I wasn't even aware of what was happening at the time. I felt guilty for being so angry with Kisten for so long because had gotten from Rachel what I so desperately wanted: her love and affection. I hated him for it, and now he was gone.

I was shocked to find her standing by the pool table, touching it no less, and that she'd called out to him, sounding so utterly defeated and forlorn. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but how could I not? I couldn't just rush past her to my bedroom. Well, technically I could have, but I was frozen to my spot, struggling with an olfactory overload from the miasma of her emotions. I'd entered the church silently, thinking—hoping—that she was already asleep. This was the last thing I expected, especially the part where… Wait, did I hear her correctly? Did she actually just admit to... that she... and now she was balking?

That deep well of tension in my body, accumulated from all the frustration and disappointment I felt through the years and tried to bury inside, bubbled and fizzed, threatening to burst. The compassionate person in me felt her pain and wanted to reach out in sympathy, to embrace her and tell her that all was not lost, that she shouldn't give up, and that things would work out somehow. The warrior in me, furious that she was even thinking of running away, wanted to grab and her shake her till she came to her senses. I mean, how stupid was that? As usual she had too many half-baked 'plans', and since she wasn't thinking clearly, she would just wing it and pick one. Last but not least, the lover in me was appalled, shaken, and panicking because she actually might end up leaving. I could track her down eventually if she disappeared to another city or country, but if she escaped to the ever-after… Oh God, I may never see her again!

All rationale fled and fear and anxiety came crashing in full force. What if the demons found a way to not let her come back to the surface? They would enslave her and impregnate her. They would turn her into the kind of demon she didn't want to be. Worse, from what I heard about Newt, what if she suddenly killed Rachel the way she'd wiped out all the other female demons in existence?

_God, please no…_

"You look tired," Rachel said to break the awkward silence, fidgeting. "I know I am, so… goodn—"

What the hell! She's retreating? She won't even stay to argue and defend herself? She reeked of embarrassment. Well, fuck that! This is too damn important to sweep under the damn rug. We are going to talk about this, and I won't run away from it this time. I didn't want to vamp out, but goddammit, I was beyond pissed off at her. I was also angry at myself because I was partly to blame. I was so scared of losing her that I couldn't even find the words or the will to not lash out completely. I trembled with the effort to control myself. I stewed, seething in silence. Counting to ten wasn't helping since I couldn't even manage to count. Fists clenching, I snapped.

"Why would you… How can you even think of leaving?"

"I'm just going to my room."

"Don't bullshit me, Rachel. You know damn well what I'm talking about. I heard you!"

She wouldn't look me in the eye. She wouldn't even yell back at me. Instead, after a moment she replied quietly, "Everyone's moved on. You've said goodbye."

"I only said goodbye because… I didn't actually _mean _goodbye!"

Actually I did, but then I also didn't. I badly wanted to move on. I didn't want to feel guilty for dating Matthew, as if I was being unfaithful to Rachel somehow. I think he suspected that I had feelings for her. Good detectives picked up on things like that. I never talked about her and me, or I dodged the subject whenever he tried probing. I think he also felt like we were sneaking around her, but I also knew that he had started feeling jealous and protective. I was getting sick of the situation and deep down I was hoping Rachel would do something, like… like beg me to leave him for her, absurd as that sounded.

God, I was _such _a masochist.

I took a deep breath. "Rachel, I could never leave you." No matter how I tried, it was true.

"Maybe you should. You're better off without me." She fiddled with her silver bracelet, scratching her wrist as if it was giving her rashes and she would take it off at any second. It made we want to rush over in case she bolted. "Besides, I don't belong here anymore, Ivy. There's nothing left for me here."

"Yes, there—"

"I have no one!" she barked, her face contorted in defiance, then pain. "_I'm _no one."

"Yes, you are!" I practically screamed. "You're Rachel Morgan, badass runner, goddammit. You have Jenks. You have me—"

"You have Glenn!"

There it was, finally. Except this was not how I fantasized she'd protest our relationship; in my twisted imagination she'd been on fire, burning with passion, not hopelessness, as she tried to convince me that I belonged with her, that I belonged _to_her.

"He has _you. _And… you're happier now." Her voice cracked. She glanced down at the table and breathed out, "You have everything."

"Not if I don't have you!"

"You don't need me," she rasped, turning to me with tears streaming down her face. "You never have! I've only been dragging you d—"

"Yes, I do!" I strode over to her and grabbed her arms. "You're my everything, Rachel."

"But Glenn—"

Matthew was supposed to be just a fling, a one-night stand, someone who I happened to commiserate with in some dilapidated bar in the human side of Cincy one night after a run. I didn't expect to be dating a human, nor for this long, but he was refreshing. He liked order and rules and—and plans! _Just like me. _And so unlike Rachel. He was attentive, found Inderlanders fascinating, vamps included. He _wanted_ me, probably even loved me, and it felt so good. I mean, I know that people found me desirable and finding lovers had always been easy for me, but for once I just wanted someone who would always be there. Someone stable and dependable. Someone who understood my line of work and what I was fighting for. Someone who liked me for me and who made me laugh. And he _let _me bite him, didn't see anything wrong with it, welcomed it, even helped me to see that it was okay, that I shouldn't feel guilty, and that I could control my urges. Despite it all…

"He's not you. I love _you!_ I always have. I always will." Gently, I cupped her face in my hands. "You haven't lost me, Rachel, and I don't want to lose you. _Please_."

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

Ivy held me tight against her chest as I sobbed, soaking her in tears. I realized later that we'd ended up on the couch, with me cradled in her arms and over her lap. She rocked me gently and stroked my hair till I calmed down.

"You're not alone, Rachel," she whispered, sniffling. "I'm sorry. I… I've been lonely, too, that's why—" Ivy sighed, squeezing me gently. "I thought I was losing _you_, that you would never feel the way I feel for you. It hurt too much for too long. So I tried to walk away before you did."

"I know… stupid vampire."

"Oh yeah? Well _you're _stupid." Said vampire stuck her tongue out at me, making me laugh.

"Seriously, Ivy, I'm truly sorry for hurting you. I... really do love you. I should have told you sooner just how much."

Her face softened, tear-stained and absolutely beautiful. "It's not too late to show me." She smiled. She kissed my forehead and wiped away my tears. "You're the most important person in my life, can't you see?"

I brushed my lips on her cheek softly. I lay my head on the crook of her neck for a while, enjoying the quiet moment between us. It felt good to be held by her, and it was then that I realized how much I craved this. Suddenly it hit me.

"Oh God, I'm sorry. What about Gl—"

She silenced my lips with her fingertip. "Shhh… I don't want to think about that right now, or else I'll feel awfully guilty. I've waited for you for too long, dear heart. Let me savor this moment."

"But—" What the Turn am doing? She's in a relationship! Wait, why was I being a buzz kill anyway? This is what I wanted, right?

"I know. Just… let me hold you for a while, okay?"

_This_ is what _we _needed. No harm done just holding someone you cared about. Yeah, that's it. So I did something smart for a change: I shut my trap and leaned back into her. I was tired of fighting. Just tired, period.

We stayed like that some more, till eventually she'd lain us both along the length of her couch, my head happily cushioned on her chest. She continued to brush her fingers through my hair, soothing me, leaving a pleasant tingling along my scalp. She stroked my back and gently massaged the back of my neck and shoulders.

We would deal with everything else later, and I felt relieved that she was here with me again. I started thinking about silly, sappy things like we'd open our hearts to each other for emotional and moral support, and make each other laugh. I really liked the sound of that, and I couldn't wait to make her smile. No matter what, we'd probably still bicker. She'd still argue with me about not following her carefully calculated plans, and I'd still tell her to shove it and just let me do what I do best. Only, now I would get to hold her and kiss her and… more. I shivered in anticipation.

Emotionally spent, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep in her arms.

~~O~~

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><p>You know, I was feeling depressed (personal issues) and it didn't help any when A Perfect Blood came out. I'm afraid to read it! Of getting disappointed and heartbroken yet again at the ridiculous lack of Ravy. I mean it's, what, book 10 now? If KH will end in 2-3 books, it's looking grim for this pairing. I needed to vent my frustrations somehow… Though I generally tend to avoid angst, this is the result. This goes out to those of you who askedrequested my take on when/how Rachel finally realized that she really loves Ivy 'that way'. See? I do read all my reviews and pm's, and take requests/suggestions to heart :] such as…

* First Date – I'll try. Lots of possibilities here. I've thought about this a lot and I think I have a pretty good idea, but I'll take suggestions.

* Ahem, a rather graphic depiction of their First Time making whoopie – Obviously, I enjoy writing 'graphic depictions', lol. Sure, why not? X]

* First Kiss - I already wrote that one. Granted, it was from Ivy's POV. Rachel's POV could certainly be arranged. ;)

* First Holloween, Christmas, Valentine's Day, etc. – gah, I keep missing these holiday 'deadlines'! We'll see. If you don't mind late entries, that makes it a bit easier.

* More supporting character inclusion – I try, but mostly I add when they're needed. Like, dead bf's making cameos. =P

* More chapters - I generally shy away from multi-parters because I hate making people wait. Plus I'm all for immediate gratification and accomplishment – easier to get with stand alones! I wrote this as a one shot, but this is certainly ripe for more. Hmm…

Well, I'll need some motivation and some guidance – a writer's road can easily veer off into all kinds of paths. Mine always starts with how to address "what if". No promises, but let me know what you think when you review! ;)


	2. Chapter 2

A special thank you to those who sent pm's, left reviews, faved or added to your alerts. Statistically, my one shots got about 1,000 hits each given enough time, with 10 reviews on average. So I wanted the 0.01% of you to know that I'm _very _honored that you took the time to do so! It may not seem like much, but it's very encouraging all the same. And even if people don't leave feedback, thank you for being interested enough to keep reading. =]

I'm surprised that I didn't get any actual suggestions yet, ha. Oh, and I made some edits on the first chapter. (This one, however, hasn't been beta'd.) Thanks to my unofficial beta, terpsichorean, for her suggestions. She's been mighty busy lately, so she gets back to me if/when she can. If you haven't already, check out her Ravy fic. It's called _Something I Said _and it's awesome!

Now on with the show!

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><p><strong>Pool Table For Two<strong>

by Athena, a.k.a. il0vesunfl0wers

_Part 2_

I couldn't sleep. Although I enjoyed holding Rachel for about an hour on the couch, I was going haywire inside. When I couldn't take it anymore, I carefully got up and tucked her under a throw blanket.

Anxiousness and uncertainty.

Elation and relief.

Desire. Lust.

Regret?

Chaos.

_Oh my God. Is this for real? _Was I really throwing away something safe, stable and comfortable, and jumping straight into Rachel's arms just like that? Was she serious about all this? Will she change her mind? Should I bother to wait? What about the promise I made to myself to move on? Matthew would be okay with an open relationship, wouldn't he? Of course he'd love a threesome, who wouldn't? But no, we never really talked about that, and this wasn't about threesomes. I would never allow him to touch Rachel. Besides, sex and sharing blood was one thing, but love was another. I kept telling myself that I wanted all three to mix. Kisten and Skimmer thought that I was making such a big deal looking for it, that I'd made it a pipe dream—The Perfect Love.

_But that's what I want, what I've always wanted._

Skimmer, Kisten, I loved them both, but… there was something missing or I wouldn't have left either of them. For some reason, I had placed my hopes on Rachel, who for years had eluded me. Now I was at a crossroads. The path to Rachel, to my dream of a perfect love, was right at my footsteps, yet why was I hesitating?

Arguably, more than anything else, I hated indecision. Without clarity and certainty, there was no course of action. No sense of order. No control. Never mind, I hated that last one most of all.

The years I'd spent wearing Piscary's leash were enough to scar me for life. I was a toy, a tool, his favorite pet. He screwed with my heart and my mind. He turned me into a savage—a monster I continued to loathe and tried so hard to tame. If Rachel only knew about what I'd become, how deeply ingrained the beast was inside me, and why I went to such great lengths to reform that part of me, she'd run off and never come back. I had spent so much time and effort trying to shield her from it, to hide from it myself, feeling like Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde and The Hulk all in one, and maybe even Beatrix from Kill Bill 1 and 2. Whatever. Stupid Kisten and his stupid movies.

_Kisten…_

Well, damn. Somehow in my pacing all over the church, I found myself beside the pool table. How I missed him. Lover, childhood friend, partner-in-pain, confidante, rival, post-breakup-blood-donor-slash-fuck-buddy, and all around pain in the neck—Kisten was all those things. And now he's gone.

Despite how I tried to fight it, the tears fell. Maybe I should try what Rachel did, because I badly needed to talk to someone, and since Kisten's passing, I didn't really have anyone else, not even Matthew.

Matthew Glenn.

_Fuck!_

"Kisten." I paused. This was ridiculous, but screw it. My hands gripped the edge of the table, hunching over it as if it was the only thing that could possibly hold me up. "I need—I need help. And I wish you were here... so I can kick your ass for dying twice before I even got a chance to kill you." I laughed bitterly despite myself. "Oh Kist, I don't know what the hell to do!"

What would he say? Kisten loved to talk, and he loved to do so with his stupid, so-called British accent just to rile me up even more when I really needed to calm down and get some perspective. Then he would talk to me gently and sensibly. He wouldn't have survived our childhood and remained my friend otherwise, even after we broke our engagement.

That had royally pissed off our parents, though it mostly just irritated Piscary. The bastard always found ways to get back at me through manipulation, because backhanding me would not have been half as satisfying. As punishment, he'd extended my sentry duty with Rachel that first year, because that was when I'd quit drinking blood. The old geezer found it amusing at first until I refused to sleep with him, too.

It wasn't enough that he had demoted me and made Kisten his scion. He'd also treated me like the lowest peon for a while, ignoring me as if I didn't exist. Kisten was at once thrilled and insulted when he became the golden boy. Sometimes he thought that maybe he only got the post because Piscary was unhappy that I wouldn't let him bite and fuck me at his beck and call anymore. I had to leave the damn establishment (a.k.a. banished from god's good graces), which was fine by me because I needed the excuse to get away, no matter how much it hurt, twisted as it was. It hurt to not be the favorite, to crave his touch and his fangs like a junkie on withdrawal. Yet I still loved him, as much as I hated him.

I had to do it. I had to get away from him so I could find myself. Besides, I had to get _him_ away from _her. _

No matter how much I fought it, I fell hopelessly in love. It was a different type of pain. It wasn't physically inflicted, yet I ached inside all the same. Whatever mental and emotional pain I felt, I had imposed them on myself.

"She never knew how much it killed me inside," I whispered, looking at the pool table, scratching the felt surface, "how I felt like dying whenever she'd date one idiot after another. You were the only one I had ever tolerated." Kisten knew it, too, and if he was here he'd be grinning smugly. "Still, I wanted to bash your face repeatedly against a barb wired fence." I smiled wistfully. "I never took any of them seriously. I was convinced they'd all go away, and I'd always be there to catch her. Waiting. Hoping for a miracle. But then you came along and screwed things up because..." I swallowed the huge lump in my throat. "For once, she'd loved a good man who deserved to love her and be loved by her." My voice shook as I uttered, "And it hurt more than I thought I could bear... You knew this, and yet you went after her anyway, you asshole!"

I never knew what unrequited love was until I met Rachel. Hell, I didn't know what real love was, either. Kisten and I loved each other, but... I still wasn't sure what was missing. Skimmer loved me, yes, but she was selfish. Now Rachel, she was pure. She may be crass compared to someone like Skimmer, who had impeccable breeding and upbringing, and despite her moments of rebellion, she still did what was expected, said all the 'right' things at the right time, sometimes sacrificing what was supposedly important in the name of her ever growing ambition. In the name of Dorothy Claymor. She'd thumbed her nose down at Rachel, was appalled that I was "whipped by such an ordinary girl". She may not be Skimmer's definition of a supermodel, yet Rachel was infinitely more beautiful than Skimmer could ever be.

When I first met Rachel, I was a beast with a ragged collar and a barely leashed temper. When things didn't go my way, I simply subjugated lesser beings, and woe to anyone who dared to challenge me. And challenge me she did, every chance she got. If she hadn't, I would not have taken her seriously, but instead she'd won me over and earned my grudging respect, which turned into a secret fondness the more time we spent together.

Being with Rachel gave me a cause to fight for. Because of her, I learned the true meaning of freedom. Independence. I learned to exercise patience and self-control. I learned about compassion, for others and myself. It was a long road to get to where I am today, thanks to her.

"I still don't know how to explain to anyone why I'm so hung up on a witch who drove the whole world crazy enough to repeatedly try kill her," I laughed quietly. I had giver up trying to understand once I'd accepted that _I _was crazy about her, as much as she drove _me_ crazy. "You noticed this right off the bat, since the day I met her, didn't you? My constant exasperation and Piscary's obsession with her drew you in. I mean, who could possibly get to us _that _much, right? That I'd abstain from blood for a few years was unheard of. She'd wound up Piscary enough to pull the rug right from under you and blood rape me to make me his scion, that sick bastard. Still, your fascination grew and you began to see why..."

There was something so incredibly sexy about Rachel. Her kissable lips maddened me as much as the words that would come out of her mouth sometimes. Never mind how much I tried not to salivate at the sight of her legs and ass. Just thinking about them now made me grip the edge of the pool table. If you saw them every day barely covered by ridiculously short and tight outfits, you'd know why. They were a constant reminder of what I couldn't have, and she wondered why I was so crabby all the time.

It wasn't just that. She had... verve. And bravado in spades. I had never known anyone just as ballsy. She gave the I.S. the finger, faced off with assassins, Piscary, Trent, and even demons. She didn't give a damn about my family name and my political standing, even when she'd once called me "filthy rich and well connected, and got away with shit because of it." If only she had known sooner that she didn't get anywhere back in the I.S. because of Piscary.

She was a royal pain, but I grew to like her company. I even craved it. I didn't have a lot of close friends, even though I had enough 'friends' and a whole lot more acquaintances. With the exception of Kisten, Skimmer, Erica and a handful of others, I couldn't really be myself with just anyone. I'd always been guarded and aloof since I was a child, had a "well-practiced air of mystery," as Rachel once put it, but Rachel brought out the best and the worst in me in ways no one else ever had.

Although I sometimes questioned her judgment, Rachel's wit was as sharp as my _katana_. She saw other angles and possibilities that I didn't bother to consider. She proved that on our very first run together. We were just supposed to track down some drug dealer, only it turned out to be a murder case. It was out of our hands, but she kept sticking in her nose into what was literally not our business. Her persistence led us to some missing were, whose bodies kept turning up and led to a group of black witches.

I had spent a great deal of time assessing all the pros and cons and exit strategies, whereas Rachel was already several steps ahead, barging right in, making snap decisions and acting quickly to save someone from dying. A few seconds made a huge difference when someone's life was hanging in the balance. Never mind that she could be so damn reckless, risking her own safety for a complete stranger.

I thought she would be no match against a crowd of black witches, but she went toe to toe with them and held her ground using a few simple charms and a _splat gun_. Yeah, imagine that. They didn't see her nasty right hook coming, either. Like, bam! A roundhouse kick here, an elbow jab there, a magic spell later and they were toast. The witch had moxie, alright, and she left me in awe... right before I railed at her for not doing things according to plan. It was pointless, but I yelled at her out of habit, even to this day.

She's genuine, honest, and sweet. I loved the way she took care of her mom. I wish my mother and I could be that close. She cared deeply for the pixies, too. I was shocked when I found out how many kids Jenks actually had, but she knew each and every one of their names. She played with them and made sure they had a safe and warm place to call home. She even offered her desk drawers for the winter.

Jenks made fun of others on principle, but he poured in extra for Rachel out of great fondness and esteem. When I complained to him about her, he was quick to defend her (even when he did call her a dumbass), giving me a fresh perspective, and always reminding me to give her the benefit of the doubt.

She'd gotten jaded in just a few years, and though she's not as upbeat and carefree as she was when I first met her, she still managed to brighten my day, even though I never let it show.

When we were partners, it irritated me how much she seemed to waste time socializing with colleagues or mere strangers. But then... I realized that whether she intended to or not, she charmed people into helping her out. Even some of the guys from Arcane Division, who cowered before me and gave me the bare minimum, readily gave her all kinds of unsolicited, useful intel. People gravitated to her naturally, and sometimes it really ticked me off and made me want to lock her up in a room or a car. With only me.

"Is it just protectiveness?" I asked the Kisten in my mind. "I'm protective over Jenks and his family, but I doubt I'd go as far for them as I would for her. Is it just lust? My desire to make her succumb to me, to take her blood and make her mine? But… she's willing to let me bite her, even though she's so damn fickle about it."

I knew I wasn't being fair. Rachel got a taste of how beautiful sharing blood could be, and she liked it. I felt it in her aura. When our auras merged... God, I'd never known anything quite like it. I had no clue what auras looked like, but I felt like our joined auras _glowed_, like a pulsing energy that burned right through me, but instead of feeling scorched, I was high as a kite. I felt like I was soaring, and then free-falling. And it was perfect.

It was no longer just about blood. I wanted her to surrender to me completely. I wanted to make love with her so badly, to love her with every fiber of my being. I wanted to feel her heart hammering as she looked at me with starry eyes, as if I could do no wrong. I wanted her to miss me as much as I ached for her whenever she was gone. I wanted to hold her hand and kiss her in public, to sit with her and just talk. I wanted to wake up next to her everyday, to see her smiling when I opened my eyes.

"I used to tell myself that deep down she really wants me. Sometimes my pheromones caused that, yes, but those other times… I _know_ she still fantasizes about me, Kisten. I've heard her moaning, calling my name at night. I've _smelled _her desire for me time and again." Was I just pussy whipped when I haven't even gotten a taste?

"Maybe I'll finally get my chance to make love to her. When I do, I'm going to erase her memory of you from her body. You and all the losers she'd ever been with. It's too bad you didn't live long enough so you could smell it." I chuckled, imagining the look of horror on his face.

Kisten and I had shared lovers in our time together, which wasn't uncommon among my kind. We'd even fought over them. Mostly it was about who rocked their world more. It was stupid really, we were young and stupid, but I smiled fondly at the memory. With Rachel he was convinced that if he were to 'break her in', as he'd suggested long ago, it would warm her up to me. Years later, against my wishes he went for it, and somehow I had let him live and get away with it, no matter how much their closeness drove me insane. With anyone else I would have killed them once or twice. I couldn't—wouldn't—share Rachel with anyone even if she was okay with it.

"It took me a long while to forgive you, Kisten. You hurt me deeply. I hated you... but I needed you, too," I whispered, shaking. I realized later on that maybe he'd tried to bridge the gap between Rachel and me in his own way. He knew that we were too afraid to make a move. He probably thought that he was doing us a favor by letting her see that being with a vampire wasn't so bad, and making me see that she'd be open to it. "Turn it. Fine! I'm grateful, too."

I'll admit that the way things happened since that first night at the church was not exactly conducive for priming Rachel into wanting me. It was the worst case of seduction in my otherwise flawless record.

Kisten had goddamn people skills. He knew how to butter them up, and it helped that he was a great listener and a softie. He didn't have a hang up about blood, sex and love. He didn't go on a sabbatical from sharing blood and got all crabby because it. He didn't have an undead mother constantly breathing down his neck for an heir. Hell, he could actually _have_ heirs with a vampire woman the old fashioned way, the only acceptable way by vampire standards. Sure, we could have multiple lovers, but we couldn't stain the living bloodline. It made me feel like a fucking broodmare.

I huffed. "Matthew's a male, but his being human would piss off mother, too." We couldn't reproduce with humans, obviously, or we'd have ruled the world. Sure, the undead could turn them, but they just ended up being second-class citizens.

"What do I do, Kist?" I grabbed the eight ball, squeezing it. "Should I really throw away something stable and normal?"

Oh, who was I kidding? Kisten was the epitome of stable and normal. Well, okay, above average. He was handsome, funny, reliable, a pillar of strength, a shoulder to cry on, of impeccable bloodline, virile and great in the sack. He would have made cute little vampire babies to make my mother proud. And where did that 'match made in heaven' end up? In tears, sadly, not because there was anything wrong with him, but because Piscary didn't give a damn about a wonderful man like him.

Except he just wasn't The One. I couldn't believe I actually bought into that, but alas, no matter how I tried to believe otherwise, I still thought Rachel is The One for me. I nearly let her slip away, and even now I'm scared to believe that I deserve her, that she finally wants me, and that she really loves me.

"I'm sorry, Kist." I sobbed as quietly as I could. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry for _everything_."

A profound feeling of serenity started to permeate my senses as the tears kept falling. Call it catharsis. Call it one step closer to absolution. Call it whatever it is, but unfortunately the old pangs of remorse just would not allow me to relinquish my feelings of guilt. They battled within in a vicious tug-of-war.

I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling as if I was sinking into quicksand as I tried desperately to calm myself, but it was no use. Suddenly, in my mind, I saw my old friend embracing me.

_"Shhh. There, there, love. It's not your fault. It was _never_ your fault. Let it go, Ivy. Let _me_ go. You have a chance at true happiness and the kind of love you've always dreamed of. Don't run away from what you deserve."_

I sobbed anew. I slumped forward onto the pool table, seeking closeness with an inanimate object tied to his memory.

"Hey," a soft voice called to me, followed by a light touch on my shoulder.

I looked up and found the woman of my dreams before me. My ray of sunshine. Even if I couldn't see her clearly past the tears, I could tell that she was crying, too. She sat with me on the pool table, took me in her arms and held me tight. She stroked my hair and my back while I cried uncontrollably, quivering and sobbing like a lost little girl on her shoulder.

"It's okay," she whispered, sniffling. "It's okay, baby."

"He's gone," I rasped, my voice high-pitched. I clutched at her, shaking. "He's gone. Don't leave me. Rachel, please! Don't leave. Don't—"

"I'm here. I'm right here, Ivy." She kissed my temple and held me tighter. "I've got you."

"Promise me!"

She tilted up my chin, and whispered fervently as she gazed deeply into my eyes, "I promise. I won't leave you, Ivy. You're my home." I cried even harder, burrowing my face into her neck. She rocked me gently and stroked my back, telling me that everything will be alright.

A little while later, as the sobs and the tears died down, leaving only hiccups and my mortification at having exposed myself this much, I finally noticed that we were lying on the pool table, my body wrapped around hers, my head on her chest. I found that I didn't mind too much, not just the discomfort of lying on a hard, flat surface, but also the fact that I had lost control. It wasn't like she'd never seen me like this before. In fact, she'd seen worse, but this was most definitely the first time she'd witnessed my grief for Kisten. I felt better knowing that she understood. She carried her own guilt and heartache, but now we could express it openly, and that made me feel a heartfelt closeness I had long desired to share with her.

"Ivy?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you feel better now?" she asked gently.

"Yes," I mumbled, squeezing her lightly. "Thank you."

"I'm glad." She said nothing more. Well, not for long anyway. "Ivy?"

This time I glanced up. Rachel looked like she was trying not to wince.

"My back hurts."

"Oh! I'm sorry." I felt sluggish, still I managed to get us both on the ground. Actually...

Rachel gasped. "Holy tomato. That was fast...! And why are you carrying me?"

"But—" When I looked at her, she had this goofy smile on her face. With just one look, whatever horrible thoughts and emotions ate at me evaporated into thin air. Her smile alone had that effect on me. It also made me do stupid things, like forget what I was going to say. And then she bit her bottom lip. _Guhhh_. "Sorry. I, uh…"

She giggled. "It's not a big deal. I was just a little surprised." She caressed my cheek, her own flushing lightly. "It's—it's kind of nice, actually. It's just… ironic that you're carrying _me_ when _you're_ the one I should be holding, isn't it?"

I grinned at her. "I don't mind. I like you like this."

"Oh?"

The way she said that... My brow twitched. _Is she... flirting with me? _It was there in her eyes, plus she started tracing circles on my shoulder with her forefinger.

"So are you just going to stand here and look pretty?" she asked coyly.

Crap. I could feel my blood shooting up my neck to my face like magma! "Uhh, I was thinking… can we lie down a bit more? I don't know about you, but I'm tired. Are you tired?"

"Sure." Her eyes twinkled. Great. She was enjoying this. "On a nice, comfy surface this time, though."

"Right," I replied. She bit her lip again and I couldn't tear my eyes away. "S—sorry."

"Stop apologizing and just get us—" In mere seconds we were covered in darkness "—uh, in your room?" Yep, she guessed it.

Even in the absence of light I could still see her clearly. Well, as clearly as a vampire could see, which was like a combination of what people portrayed in movies as infrared and night vision, only not so blurry or muted, nor in neon colors. It's hard to explain to non-vampires. I could 'zoom in' on her heat signature if I really wanted to, but I didn't need to 'see' her body flushed with heat in the dark because I could clearly hear her heartbeat, which had been thudding increasingly the longer I stood in silence. Woops.

"If you don't mind," I said, suddenly feeling shy. "The sun's coming up, and we both need sleep."

"Oh. Right."

"And my bed's bigger." I brought us slowly toward my bed. Screw shyness. I had no plans to let go of her anytime soon. "With a fluffy down comforter. Ergonomic pillows. Silk sheets. A high quality mattress, firm yet cushiony soft, and—"

"Alright, alright." She laughed. "I'm sold. I'll order the whole set!"

I set her down on the floor to pull down the covers, my other hand resting on her hip. I was thankful that she couldn't see me grinning like an idiot, but then something occurred to me. "Would you, um, like to change into some night clothes?" Rachel froze on the spot, and I found myself rambling. "I-I mean, you can use yours if you want, or you can wear mine. It—our scents have been mixing anyway, so it's not like it'll make any dif—"

"Okay," she said softly. Her fingers had found my lips. "I would love to wear something of yours."

I beamed at her, not that she could see it, but I was sure her fingers felt it. That last word she said made me shiver in anticipation, and her words as a whole were starting to make me forget my pure intentions, but I will behave and be the perfect gentleman. I still had unfinished business to take care of. Till then, I will put to use the self-discipline I had learned through the years. Right now, it was all about holding Rachel in my arms, keeping her safe, and both of us feeling at peace.

Kisten was right. This was my chance at true happiness. This was my chance at true love.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

I had meant to post this sooner, but alas, I had to do some rewriting. I also added new details so it got twice as long! Unfortunately the second half especially kicked my ass, so I decided to split the chap so I can post this one already. Thanks to terpsichorean for proofreading. Btw, for some reason FFN removes spaces between italicized and regular words sometimes, and I don't always catch them all. So if you see those, you can blame FFN for the weird formatting.

Again my thanks to y'all who left feedback. It really does mean a lot to me when readers leave their thoughts, especially when it gets me thinking ahead. Also, a shout out to the anonymous reviewers: I wish I could reply to your comments directly, but since I can't, I just wanted to let you know I really appreciate it! =]

And now, without further ado...

* * *

><p><strong>Pool Table For Two<strong>

by Athena, a.k.a. il0vesunfl0wers

_Part 3_

I watched Ivy sleep. She looked so peaceful. Her chest rose and fell with deep, even breaths. I brushed a few errant, raven strands away from her face and tucked them behind her ear. I had always loved her hair and was so glad that she let it grow long again. I ran my fingertip along her thin eyebrows, her almond shaped eyelids, down the bridge of her nose to the small, rounded tip. I traced her full, luscious lips softly, down to her chin, and caressed her jaw line with the back of my fingers.

Simply exquisite. Bewitching.

Lying next to her up close like this, I couldn't deny my attraction to her, not anymore. How someone so beautiful and amazing could like someone like me boggled my mind. We're such polar opposites, yet like magnets we were drawn to each other.

Yes, I was drawn to her. I always had been. I admitted that now.

Earlier on, we were lying together on the pool table of all places, but it felt... right. Hard on my back but right. Kisten had tried to get Ivy and I together when he was still alive. It had taken awhile for us to get here, but in the end he'd still managed to pull it off. I wondered if he was up there looking down at us as we held each other on the table, shaking his head at the irony. If he was, I was sure he was thinking lecherous thoughts.

She cried in my arms till there were no more tears left. And then... and then... She was carrying me as if I weighed nothing, like I was some damsel in distress and she was saving me. Mostly saving me from back pain, but never mind that. If being held in her arms while sitting or lying down felt wonderful, being carried by her... Hubba hubba! My heart pitter-pattered at the memory. She had looked so dashing and... _hot_. Never mind that her eyes were puffy. She took my breath away and I turned into goo in her arms. I was never really one of those girls who dreamed of meeting their Prince Charming one day, but hell if I wasn't charmed. It caught me by surprise, as if an arrow whizzed by and shot right through me, and all of a sudden heart-shaped bubbles floated all around us. I felt light headed, even a little drunk, just looking at Ivy. It made me smile, knowing that when it really came down to it, Ivy would instinctively save me, no matter how small the threat, and she would do it with style!

Now, as we lay facing each other on her bed, my guilt caught up with me. I hadn't heard everything she said in the sanctuary, but I heard enough to know that I caused at least some of those tears.

"I'm sorry, Ivy," I whispered as I stroked her hair, "for being all kinds of stupid. And careless. All this time I never meant to hurt you."

"I know."

"But I did." A tear fell down my cheek. "You know how I am, I act before thinking. Kisten and I—"

"Don't."

"Please, just hear me out." I needed to say it. She needed to hear it. "We never meant to... It just happened. We just—"

"I know." Her forehead twitched. "It hurt, but I understand now."

"Do you really?" She looked away, but I held her chin up to face me. "It was easy. Not to think. Just to feel. And he made it easy for me to... escape."

"But why?" Her forehead creased. She held back tears, but they shimmered. I wanted to kick myself. In her eyes, her face, I saw all the pain and heartache I'd ever caused. "Why didn't you choose me?"

"I was afraid. Not of you but what I started to feel for you because... because..." I swallowed the huge lump in my throat. "Ivy, you mean so much to me. You always have. And no matter how I tried not to hurt you, that's what I ended up doing anyway. I tried being spontaneous with you." Letting her kiss me. Letting her bite me. And I liked it. "But look what happened. In the van, the kitchen. I went with the flow and I hurt you. I didn't mean to, but I was scared to hurt you again." But she was like a lodestone, and I couldn't stay away, couldn't help wanting her. I knew that now. "Then our auras chimed and it was beautiful. I felt whole. And unworthy. It scared me when I realized how much I love you, that I've loved you all along. I didn't want to admit it, because if I did, that meant that—" I squeezed her hands and gazed deeply into her eyes "—I might end up losing you."

"But—"

"Everyone I've ever loved ends up leaving. One way or another." Fresh tears fell, and I looked down. "I couldn't bear it if I lost you, too. And yet... I kept pushing you away. I'm so sorry."

"Oh Rachel... I kept pushing you, too." Sniffling, she drew me into her. I felt her tears against my cheek. I wrapped my arms tightly around her. "I'm sorry."

There it was. I finally said it, and I meant every word. I was on a roll, as if my heart purged itself of my fears, of all the lies that enshrouded the truth of what I felt for her. Relief flooded me. I almost lost her, and now I'm never letting her go. I hugged her tighter, mumbling into her hair, "So... we're both idiots?"

Her chest lurched in mirth. "Yeah, we are."

I pulled back and smiled at her. "And here I thought you're the smart one."

"Not when it comes to you." She whispered fervently, "I'm just a fool, so desperately in love with you."

My breath caught when I felt her love sear itself into my eyes, into my soul. It touched something raw deep inside of me, and as she studied my face and caressed my cheek, wiping away my tears, I realized that I was a fool for her, too.

Her eyes trailed down to my lips. "I want to kiss you."

I licked my lips in anticipation, breathing deeply. I started to inch closer to her.

"But I won't."

"What? Why not?"

"There's still, you know," she said. My eyes widened in understanding. I completely forgot about Glenn. "If I kiss you now, I won't be able to stop. But I have to because—" she looked at me with yearning, and her fingernails raked my scalp gently "—I'll want more, but I can't. Not yet."

I pouted. I really wanted her to kiss me, but Ivy's too honorable, dammit. If she can wait, so can I. Right? "Can't I get an advance?" Ivy chuckled. Crap, did I just say that out loud?

"Believe me, I would love nothing more." Her thumb caressed my lips. I wanted to kiss it, maybe even suck on it. "But please don't make this any harder than it is right now. Give me till tomorrow."

"Okay." I sighed. "I guess I'll content myself with holding you at least."

"That's the spirit."

Emotionally drained, sleep finally claimed her. I stayed up and just watched her. My little nap on the couch kept me awake for a bit longer. I caressed her cheek. Such unblemished, silky skin. I traced my finger along her eyelids, her nose, her lips. Mesmerized, I found myself leaning forward. Ah, hell, I'm getting an advance, dammit!

I touched my lips to hers, just a small caress. They were incredibly soft. Without the shackles of denial and fear, I now felt this tremendous urge to explore, to discover how and where else she was different. Maybe Ivy was right. I wanted more. I wanted to lick her luscious lips. I wanted her to kiss me back. I wanted to feel her body engulfing me in heat. I wanted her hands all over me, caressing, grabbing and squeezing. I wanted her mouth kissing, licking, and nibbling my earlobe, my neck, my shoulders—everywhere. And it shocked me how viscerally I wanted her, simply pressed against her lips and her prone body like this, when she hasn't even done anything yet. But they promised pleasure, if our history was any indication. The last time she kissed me, in San Francisco, there were no pheromones, just Ivy giving me one hell of a goodbye kiss. I was filled with regret to fully appreciate it then, because it felt like the last time.

I had a lot to make up for, and I couldn't wait to show her.

Long, sable lashes fluttered. Her droopy eyelids lifted and she smiled. I ran a finger across her lower lip. She kissed it softly, then she fell back asleep. I burrowed my face into her chest and sighed. Tomorrow isn't soon enough.

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

I woke up in the early afternoon, which was too early for my liking. Rachel and I had stayed up a little bit more, just holding each other and talking before we both finally drifted off to sleep. I pouted and frowned when I woke up to her absence from my bed. I found a red tendril of hair on the pillow next to me, which made me smile, and I could still feel a little warmth in the space she'd occupied, so she had gotten up not too long ago. I must have really been tired to not notice her stirring. How was it possible that I already miss her? I refuse to be like a velcro strip, but... I couldn't help it. I wanted to feel her embrace again. I leaned over the pillow she'd lain on and inhaled deeply. It smelled of that redwood scent I'd come to love.

The scent of coffee wafted into my still darkened room, and that of… toast, eggs, and bacon. Yum! I got up and did my usual routine, then put on my robe and practically glided into the kitchen.

"Hey, sleepy head," my favorite witch greeted me with a smile, wiping her hands on a rag. It looked like she just finished making breakfast. She took off the apron I rarely used. It was a present from Kisten, the one that said, "Kiss the chef." What a great idea. I remembered that the imp stole a kiss last night when I was too sleepy to really do anything about it. Hmm.

"Hey, yourself," I replied, smiling back. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very much."

We stood there and stared at each other. She was still wearing my nightie, and one of my silk robes. Oh dear. I badly wanted to hug her, but it was an unusual thing for us to do first thing after getting up. You'd think we needed to be crying or something just to have an excuse.

"Coffee?" she finally said, breaking the silence.

I nodded. "That would be lovely."

I glanced at the plates of food at the counter. Making myself useful, I brought them to our kitchen table, which was really my desk. _Our _table. I liked the sound of that.

She followed me to _our_ table, carrying steaming mugs of coffee. "Here you go."

I took my mug, letting my fingers linger on hers, and watched her inhale sharply. "Thanks," I replied, hiding my smugness behind the cup as I took my first sip, my eyes never leaving hers. I licked my lips slower than I really needed to, but I couldn't help myself. She was staring at them so intently.

"You're welcome." Her words came out softly, a little breathless, and her cheeks flushed.

I gave myself a mental high-five because now I could get away with stuff like that, and she was not bothering to hide her reaction. So I put my mug down and stepped a little closer. "Let's just get this out of the way, shall we?" I grabbed her waist and the back of her neck and pressed our lips together, gratified when her hands clutch my shoulders. I nibbled on her lower lip a little, licked her lips and sucked lightly on her tongue. The sound of her moaning made me groan in response. Good lord. It was better than how it sounded in my dreams, better up close than from when I heard it from a distance, better than the sound she sometimes made after her first sip of coffee, and ten times more arousing. Quite possibly, with enough of those I just might have an ear-gasm. God, she was delicious, with a hint of coffee and… strawberries, which she'd obviously snacked on earlier. I meant for it to be short and sweet, but I lost myself in the feel of her, the taste of her.

"Wowww," she said when we parted, echoing my sentiments.

Her eyes fluttered, chest heaving. I was extremely pleased to see the dazed look on her face, and I was pretty sure I wore the same look. Then she grabbed me this time to continue where we left off. She moaned once more as she tightened her arms around my neck, and I gripped her back to bring her even closer to me. Our breasts mashed together. I groaned into her mouth, lost in a haze of our mingled scents. Heat shot straight to my core. If this was heaven, then dying twice wouldn't be so bad. It felt sooo good to have her this close to me, rubbing against me in the most delightful way. Well, it could be even better of course, but this was just a little sampler. I had big plans for this woman—special plans for a special witch.

"Mmm, that's one hell of a way to start the day." She giggled breathlessly when we surfaced.

"I could get used to that," I replied, just as breathless. I felt so giddy that I wouldn't be surprised if I had a silly expression on my face. My hands itched to grab her again, but hot damn, I had to stop this now, or at least put it on hold. I didn't want to, but I wanted to do this right. I still had some unfinished business with Matthew, so no hanky-panky or full-blown displays of love just yet. I needed to step away and stop touching her. Like, right now. _Any time now, Tamwood._ "Thank you for cooking. This looks really yummy."

It was really nice to sit down and eat together like this. We didn't do it often, but it was time to change that, among many other things. I was excited just thinking about it. Again, I'm getting ahead of myself.

"Rachel, I'm meeting... Glenn in a little while." I hated putting a dampener on our lovely time together, but unfortunately it had to be said. I had, at least, waited till after we finished eating. "We have an appointment to talk about a missing human who was last seen with a group of vampires."

What I didn't tell her was that afterwards he'd want to take me out to dinner and… more. I was sure that she easily guessed it anyway since it sounded like a case that didn't require a great deal of hashing out and strategizing. It wasn't anything particularly out of the ordinary. It was the type that could easily segue into other plans for the night, but I wouldn't let it get that far.

It pained me to see dark clouds of thoughts and emotions casting shadows all over Rachel's face. Disappointment, confusion, irritation, and jealousy—I smelled them all. She didn't say anything, even though I could tell that she wanted to.

"After we talk about it," I continued quickly, "I'm breaking up with him, I assure you." The scent of relief filled the air, but she still looked wary, so I took her hands and squeezed them. "I meant what I said, Rachel. I love _you_. But I need to end things with him now before _our_ chapter can truly begin. Okay?"

She nodded, sighing. "I know. I understand. Just… hurry back."

"I will." I smiled at her. Time was of the essence, sure, but it didn't mean I couldn't hang around a little longer to enjoy her company.

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

I tore through the streets on my Nightwing like a bullet train from Tokyo on hyper drive, weaving through traffic and whizzing past drivers who blared their horns at me and probably even waved their fists in my wake. Reaching home, I parked my bike in the carport. My hands were unnaturally clammy as I headed up the steps to the front door. Taking a deep breath, I unlocked the door and closed it with enough force to announce my arrival. I leaned back against it, hating how shaky I felt.

Deep down I still hoped that this wasn't a mistake, that Rachel was serious about this. It was too late to turn back now, at least for me. But then my thoughts travelled back to a few hours ago. A grin slowly spread on my face. I kissed her at breakfast. I kissed her _after_ breakfast. The first conveyed my pent up yearning, while the latter was to reassure her of her place in my heart, to reassure me that what I had set out to do was right. Sure, I left the church to break someone else's heart because finally mine was no longer hurting, because now I have hers. I hope. No, I will have it. Tonight's the night. I'll make sure of it.

Just like that, badass Ivy was back. Puffing my chest, I strutted off and took my time passing through the sanctuary. I felt like I was floating on a stream, really, when all I wanted was to rush to Rachel's side. She wasn't in either bedroom or the kitchen.

"I'm here, Ivy," my favorite witch called out.

I followed her voice to the living room, trying not to appear too eager. _Play it cool, Tamwood, play it smart._"Hi."

"Welcome home." Rachel smiled. She was standing by the entertainment center, rifling through some CDs. She snorted, holding up a CD case. "'Kisten's Super Duper Love Mix'? Seriously?"

I barked a laugh at that. "Yeah, I guess. Supposedly he made it especially for me way back when."

Her brows arched. "'Supposedly', huh?"

I simply grinned at her. Now was not the time to bring up open relationships among vampires. She had hints from Rynn's dating guide, but I really didn't want to explain details right this minute about how things had worked between me and Kisten.

I was about to throw her what Kisten called my patented Smokey Eyes Technique, the one where I started off by looking somewhere else, then making sure I had her attention, I would cast my eyes down, right before slowly panning sideways and upwards to gaze deeply into her eyes. Which would have worked flawlessly except I made the mistake of starting it from the entertainment center.

My eyes widened. "Did… did you just organize the CDs and DVDs?"

"Uh, yeah," she laughed nervously. "I had a feeling you might like these in alphabetical order by artist or movie title, and I had some free time, so—" she trailed off, waving her hand at the shelves.

I tried hard not giggle like a little girl at this latest development, but oh, this was just _too_ precious. And yes, I definitely liked it. "Thank you for doing that."

Blushing, she put the 'Super Duper Love Mix' down and turned to sit on the couch. Once settled, her fingers soon started tapping on the armrest. Good, I wasn't the only one who was jittery. I could smell her anxiety, and I tried not to let it get to me. At least it wasn't the kind that usually made me wary. This time it was the kind that made the beast inside me want to draw it out of her because it could easily be channeled sexually, knowing it would more likely be welcomed sooner or later. For us vampires, nervous excitement was just that: exciting. I approached her slowly, and then sat down next to her.

"So," she said, lacing her fingers together on her lap and turning to me. "How did it go?"

"It's," I paused, not really sure how to answer that. "Not too bad. He's not happy about it, of course, but he'll be fine."

"Oh. Um… okay." She fidgeted on the couch. "Sooo, now what?"

I stared at her hand which was now resting on the cushion. What was _up_ with the school girl bashfulness all of a sudden? She must have sensed my longing, for she reached out for mine. I looked up at her and found her looking at me shyly.

"Well, how about," I began. God, my heart was pounding. _This is it. I can do this! _"Would you like to go out with me tonight?"

Her brows shot up. "You mean, like on a date?"

"Yeah." I smiled. I could feel my cheeks flushing a little. "If you'd like."

"I would love to." She beamed at me, and I thought I might swoon. Ivy Tamwood does _not_ swoon! But I was close. Luckily she glanced down at our joined hands, giving me time to recover so I could be all suave. Then she looked back up at me. "What should I wear?"

Her face had that animated quality I had not seen in awhile, one that I sorely missed. "N-nothing fancy. Definitely something comfortable. And warm. Yes, definitely warm. You know, for the wind. Wear a scarf for sure. And some gloves." So much for being suave. Jesus, I was babbling. What the hell! I wanted to slap myself. Instead, I took a deep breath and cleared my throat. "I mean, 'cause I'd like to take the bike, if you don't mind." I could tell she was trying not to grimace. I don't blame her. I'll admit that I drove worse than a New York cab driver on crack sometimes, but I was very careful! "I'll be good, I promise."

"Alright." She smiled.

I beamed at her. And so it begins.

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

I stared at the mirror as I tucked my charm necklace behind my blouse, the one that tamed my unruly curls. (Yep, I never left home without it.) I smacked my lips a couple of times and checked for lipstick smudges.

After about half an hour of going berserk, rummaging through my closet and tossing one possible outfit after another all over the place (you'd think a tornado had passed through my door), I managed to put on something that I hoped was suitable. I didn't want to look like a dweeb next to her. Ivy had impeccable fashion sense, so I was sure she would come out looking fabulous as usual, even if she ended up wearing rags.

Jenks often told me to upgrade my wardrobe since "trashy can only go so far." That bastard. So what if I happened to like short, tight things? Okay, so maybe I sometimes overcompensated for being proportionally challenged in the mammary department by flaunting my best assets, namely my legs and derrière. What was wrong with that? Ivy certainly appreciated them. I've seen her checking me out even when she thought I wasn't looking.

"Here goes nothing," I muttered to no one in particular. I adjusted my strapless bra one last time, grabbed my purse and sweater, then headed for the door.

I stepped out and was greeted by the sound of the piano coming from the sanctuary. The sound reverberated along the walls, making excellent use of the acoustics. I recognized the tune immediately. It was Depeche Mode's "Somebody", which was rather unexpected. Ivy didn't exactly strike me as someone who grooved to the 80s.

I stood in the hallway just before the threshold to the sanctuary and leaned against the wall to simply enjoy such a rare sight. I loved watching her play the piano. Ivy often practiced what I could only describe as an economy of movement on her face and gestures, as if she was saving her energy for more worthwhile things, like strutting around like a supermodel, waving a samurai sword about and/or kicking someone's ass a la Crouching Tiger. And when she played, it was as if an entirely different person came to life: free spirited, uninhibited, her grace and sensuality dialed up to eleven, and you could read her face like an open book. She poured her soul into every note. Her face contorted with feeling, her hair flowing free as she moved her whole upper body as she stroked the piano keys like a lover.

The second verse began, and I mentally sang along.

_I want somebody who cares for me passionately_  
><em>With every thought and with every breath<em>

Wait a sec. Could it be? _Is she... serenading me?_ Gasping, my hand clutched at the space between my breasts. The music stopped and Ivy darted her head in my direction.

"Please," I said, "don't stop on my account."

"Oh, no, I—I was just," she paused as I stepped towards her. She stood, her eyes widening as I approached. "Wow, you look ravishing."

Her eyes roamed over my cream-colored, sleeveless, drapey, cowl neck blouse that dipped low in the front and back. It could pass for satin with its sheen. It was something I indulged in buying during one of our shopping trips together, I but don't remember actually getting to wear it. It sat loosely over my waist, leaving a glimpse of my navel just above my faded blue skinny jeans. Plus, I wore the whiskey brown, woven leather belt and vampire-made boots she'd given me. I'd braided my hair and wore a cream-colored knit hat, anticipating a possible helmet head.

"Really?" I asked as she walked around the piano towards me. At her vigorous nod and the molten look on her face, I thanked the gods that all that time I had spent going crazy was well worth it. "Thank you," I said as a little heat flared on my cheeks. I tucked a stray curl behind my ear, pulling a little on my hoop earring, feeling a little self-conscious. So I busied myself with giving her a proper once-over.

It really was unfair how this woman could wear something so simple yet still manage to look like she just stepped off a runway. She wore a burgundy, long sleeve, scoop neck cotton top that looked like part babydoll and part tunic, and it had a ruched front that cast flattering shadows on the the contours of her breasts. The tunic was slightly loose, but it also hugged her hourglass figure. My eyes trailed down to the skin tight, faded dark blue jeans tucked under pointy, black suede boots. Normally she wore sensible, low-heeled shoes, but these had narrow, three-inch heels. Trés sexy and chic. I almost gave her a low whistle. Instead, I opted for a compliment.

"You look—" _babelicious, bootylicious, smoking H-O-T-T _"—gorgeous." Oh. My. God. I was staring at her breasts when I said that. I didn't mean to, but I couldn't stop staring at them! Shaking my head, I glanced back up only to find a deep groove on her cheek and her brow arching.

"Thanks," she replied, grinning. My face felt like it was roasting, but before I could start sputtering, she held out her hand. "Ready?"

Biting my lip, I nodded and clasped it in mine.

"Wait," she said, staring at the sweater I held with my other hand. "You need something a bit warmer than that. The wind will pass right through."

"Oh. I, uh, don't really have a—"

"I'll lend you one of my jackets."

Ivy didn't need to have a catalog of my closet to know that I didn't have, well, a non-pleather jacket. I couldn't afford real leather. I did still have Kisten's, but it would be kind of weird to wear it on our date, plus it wouldn't look good with my outfit anyway.

"Ahh, okay."

She gave me another once over. "Be right back."

She headed to her bedroom (more like _sashayed_), and my eyes trailed after her, my gaze drifting down her back to her swaying hips. I smiled. Ever my white knight, protecting me even from the elements. I'd feel better if she could just manage to not give me a heart attack on her bike. In a few moments she came back with a couple of leather jackets, one in black and the other in red.

Pointing to the latter, I said, "Wait, isn't this your new—"

"Uh-huh. Care to break it in for me?" She smiled.

"You're sure?"

She held it open for me. "O Positive."

Chuckling and shaking my head, I rolled my eyes and came closer. Licking my lips, I turned around so she could help me put it on. Suddenly it felt like the whole world slowed down to a crawl as I slid my arms one at a time into the sleeves. My heart pounded and I took deep breaths as she drew the jacket over my shoulders. I shivered as her fingers brushed my nape to gently grab my braid and put it on my back. Her hands slid outward on my shoulders, patting them to smooth out the leather.

"There you go," she said softly as I turned around. "It looks fantastic on you," she added with a touch of awe in her voice. "Here, let me zip you up."

I could only nod. I held my breath as she slowly drew up the zipper, and a part of me thought that maybe she really ought to be unzipping it and taking off my—

_Whoa! _Where the hell did that come from?

When Ivy looked back up, her pupils barely had a ring of brown. Great. _Way to go, libido. _I hated how I couldn't hide anything from her.

"Help me put on mine?" she asked throatily.

"S-sure." I took the black leather jacket from her and gasped when our fingers touched. A jolt of electricity rushed through me. Soon I found my chest heaving as I helped her into it, and again it felt like we were in slow motion. This time it was her turn to draw a sharp breath when I took hold of her raven locks, gently pulled them from beneath the leather and arranged them on her back.

"All done," I said, a little breathless. When she turned around, I added, "Have I ever told you how much I love your hair? It's so pretty. I'm jealous, really."

She shook her head no. I swallowed thickly. She had a predatory look about her, but not the kind that usually made me feel like bolting. It was the kind that made me want to... want to... I lost my train of thought as my eyes settled on her lips.

"Shall we?" she said, brimming with an undeniable sensuality that sent a ripple of pleasure to the roots of my hair and the tips of my fingers.

I nodded morosely, and then slipped my hand in hers as she led me to the front door and into a new world of possibilities.

TBC

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><p>Hope you enjoyed this. Viva la fluff! I've always suspected that deep down Ivy is an old fashioned romantic. Clothes shopping for our lovely ladies was quite fun, even though the research exercise took some time. Thank you Victoria's Secret for the inspiration. XD<p>

I look forward to your reviews! ;)


	4. Chapter 4

Again my thanks to y'all who left feedback, and special thanks to terpsichorean for editing!

A note of thanks to anonymous reviewers:

princessbuttercup - I love Veruca Salt's version, too! Hehe, it's fun making a sultry Ivy botch up her seduction schemes. Rachel deserves an advance, doncha think? She wasn't so much paranoid, but yeah she was definitely anxious enough to end up organizing! XD

davinelyfavored69 - It makes me really happy whenever I can make peeps laugh and smile. Mission accomplished!

anon - Hopefully this one wasn't too long a wait and fluffy enough for ya. =]

And now, here's the second part of the previous chapter. I hope you enjoy their date! ;)

.

* * *

><p><strong>Pool Table For Two<strong>

by Athena, a.k.a. il0vesunfl0wers

_Part 4_

Ivy took us to a Mediterranean restaurant not too far from the Ohio River. She said it was a family favorite and I could see why. Looking at the building from outside I never would have guessed that it was a restaurant. It looked like an ordinary, two-story, brick building. Inside it was quaint and homey, with oak wood almost everywhere, from the floor, furniture, and even the thick wooden beams that upheld the roof.

They chose earth tones for their color scheme, but the textured walls had different shades of, er, off-white. It was very subtle, but it added dimension. The paint buckets probably had names like Eggshell, Swiss Coffee, Mayonnaise (maybe not that one), or maybe, I don't know, Crème Brulee. Or Bedouin Sand.

Once I went undercover at an art gallery. The interior decorator kept ordering me about until I asked why in the world they would use such boring white walls for the upcoming show. The flaming bastard gave me an earful, called me a philistine with no sense of culture. Well excuuuse me. White. Walls. Hellooo! Oh, my bad. _Off_-white. Eye roll! Anyway, after he got off his high horse, he said that off-white was supposed to create a sense of tranquility, that it was very versatile, complementing other colors.

Well, this place did a really good job with that concept because, coupled with the dramatic lighting, the off-whites brought out the highlights and shadows, and both light and dark hues from the large tapestries, landscape paintings, bronze statuettes, antique vases, and even the surrounding tables and chairs. Matching floor lamps were placed here and there, their soft glow reflecting on various glass sculptures. Mini-chandeliers hung above some dining tables, with imitation candles that almost looked like the real deal, all in all giving the place a touch of old world charm. A thick yet translucent curtain partitioned the place into two separate rooms; one side facing the river, with a bar, while the other side had a view of the neighboring botanical garden out back, which I couldn't wait to see.

Apparently Ivy made a reservation in advance. When we arrived at the reception area, we were greeted by a burly man in a dark brown suit, with graying hair at the temples. He grabbed Ivy into a bear hug and gave her a kiss on each cheek. My jaw dropped at this exchange. Ivy wasn't exactly very touchy-feely, at least I didn't think so. Before long, the man turned to me and was about give me the same treatment until Ivy growled at him, which was enough to change his mind. Instead, he smiled and winked at me and smirked at Ivy, who rolled her eyes at him.

"Welcome to Athens," he said, eyes twinkling. Taking two menus, he bowed to us slightly, extending his arm with a flourish. "Right this way, please."

He led us to our table, situated right by large windows, which framed an exquisite view of the river, where the late afternoon sun cast distorted colors over the water. At the heart of our side of the restaurant was a makeshift waterfall, where water cascaded down gently from high above onto a little pond.

I wasn't used to dining out, especially in a fancy place like this. It was posh without boasting of opulence, just like the sophisticated lady before me who felt no need to show off her wealth and distinction. I felt like a tourist marveling at everything around me.

"Oh Ivy, this place is fabulous!"

"I'm glad you like it." She grinned, her hand on the small of my back while she walked alongside me.

She'd been such a gentleman throughout, opening doors for me, tucking my hand in her arm when we walked, and now helping me out of her leather jacket and pulling back my chair to seat me. Apart from Kisten, my dates had rarely been this attentive. Although I consider myself an independent, modern woman, I am not immune to chivalry and its charms, and for some reason Ivy's gallantry made my heart flutter even more. Maybe because it was such a novel experience to be on a date with a _woman_, and a breathtaking one at that.

Sexy and self-assured, she turned heads and got catcalls wherever we went, and lately I found myself increasingly vexed. Not because they were doing that, but because… because… dammit, she's _my _personal eye candy. There, I admitted it! She looked like every holiday and birthday present rolled into one, and I could barely wait to unwrap her.

Jeez, my libido needed a leash. The alcohol must've really been getting to me... Or maybe I was just feeling liberated now that I could openly appreciate Ivy, and not just for her good looks. I was seeing a whole new side to her, a softer, much more feminine side. She'd always had that fluid vampire grace and sensuality, and I was beginning to realize just how much of her natural self she had been suppressing because of me.

"What?" Ivy asked when I was quietly staring at her, sipping on my glass of liquid courage.

"Nothin'." I just smiled at her, then sighed.

"Really, what?"

"It's just... you're such a dreamboat."

"Why, Miss Morgan," she said in that gray silk voice of hers, smirking, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're flirting with me."

"Yeah, I guess I am." I flashed a cocky smile. "Think you can handle it?"

"Hmm," she purred. She took my hand and brought it to her lips, and her voice lowered. "I think the real question is..." Her other hand went under my forearm, her fingertips ghosting over my skin slowly towards my wrist, making my nerve endings tingle. Shivers ran down my spine. "Can you?" Then she kissed my knuckles at a snail's pace (a very sensual snail with magic lips), her eyes hungry.

_Oh God. _I think my heart stopped. I suddenly felt parched, as if all the moisture in my body decided to gather between my legs, so I grabbed my glass of water and gulped it down as if I'd been lost in a desert and was tasting water for the very first time. When I looked back at her, she took a deep breath, her nostrils flaring, and then a sinful smile slowly spread on her face.

"I'll take that as a no?"

There was no use denying it. It wasn't as if any part of me could. What amazed me most of all was that I was reacting to her the way I would if she had been releasing pheromones. Except she hadn't been all this time. I swallowed thickly, rasping, "You're too good at this."

She chuckled throatily. "Dear heart, you have no idea who you're dealing with."

Oh yeah? Well, I'll show _her! _Just... not right now. Guhhh.

It was heartwarming to see her so relaxed, to hear her laughter, and to hold her hand over the table. She got bolder as our date progressed, and I found myself not minding it one bit. In fact, it made me realize how much I craved her attention and affection, so I reveled in it. Each time her eyes swept over me, I felt as if my clothes just might fall off on their own just to give her a better view.

The waitress returned with our orders. Wow, they looked and smelled scrumptious! My mouth had a field day. I didn't really think about it at the time, but apparently I had ordered something rather… crunchy. I might as well have sat on Ivy's lap and offered my neck to her right then and there. I mean, how blatant can you get, right? Though I must say that that image and the way Ivy ate her meal—as if making love to each succulent morsel that came into contact with her mouth, sometimes moaning a little in appreciation—had me squirming in my seat.

Amazingly, even with the number of people who came to the restaurant, the tables around us stayed unoccupied, so we sort of had a secluded little area to ourselves. However, when they stayed that way for a while despite the clusters of people waiting to be seated, I knew something was up. So I asked her about it.

"I reserved all these tables," Ivy simply stated. She smiled and sipped her wine, her eyes never leaving mine, while her other hand caressed the back of my hand with her thumb.

"For whom?"

"No one. Just you and me." She lifted my hand and began to brush her lips over my knuckles once again. "I know the owner." Kiss. "He completely understands." Kiss. "Plus I..." Lick. "Paid him handsomely."

I wanted to object, but I was having a hard time concentrating. Dammit, she had learned a terribly effective technique to distract me!

"So don't worry about it. Please?"

Well, when she put it that way, you know, the way her lips sent shivers racing in all directions inside me, it was kinda hard to argue. My God, the way she was making me melt simply by kissing the back of my fingers… _Aw hell, let them all wait!_

Soon I was lost in conversation once more with my gorgeous date. I was relieved that we managed to talk about all manner of things that had nothing to do with cases and work (or my lack thereof), of Inderland politics or my chaotic life in general. We did talk about our friends, about Ceri's cute little baby, and laughed a lot at Jenks' expense.

"Rachel, If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you like to go?"

"You mean for fun?"

Ivy smiled, eyes twinkling. "Yes, for fun."

"Oh, um," I paused, pressing my lips together. "I don't know. I've never really gone out of state, well, other than getting myself summoned by a merry band of crazies."

"Yeah, well that aside?"

"I'm not really sure, to be honest." I stared at my wine glass, running my fingertip along the stem. "I never really had the luxury to go on some lavish vacation, much less afford one."

"But if you did?"

"Well… I would love to visit my mom for sure." I smiled, thinking of her. Although I was happy for her, I still had a hard time dealing with her being across the country. "I suppose I would like to visit Ireland, see where my witchy ancestors came from. Hop a train all over Europe. Spain, France, Germany. I heard there's a place in Italy with endless fields of sunflowers."

"Yes, in Tuscany. You like sunflowers?"

"Oh, I love them!" I beamed at her. "So you've been there?"

"Yes, when I was little. I was with my family." Ivy's forehead muscles twitched. "My mom was still living, and she and my dad were much happier then. I was happy." She stared off into space at a memory fragment that only she could see. "I remember running through the sunflowers. It was amazing, like fields of gold. They were so tall, and I couldn't see beyond them. Just looking at them made me feel ten times lighter."

"I can imagine."

"You know, when I met you, you reminded me of sunflowers."

"Me? Why?"

"Because you were so bubbly and cheerful. A breath of fresh air." Her mouth quirked.

I was like a different person back then. Curious, excited, optimistic. A newbie. And to Ivy: a nuisance. She and I bickered constantly. She was arrogant, impatient, with a superiority complex. Oh, she was superior alright, and I felt compelled to prove her wrong every time she went all Miss Know-It-All and planned everything to death, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Who knew that it was all foreplay all along?

"You made people smile," she continued. "You… made _me _smile, even when I tried not to."

I snorted. "I don't remember you smiling at all back then. Mostly you were ticked off and yelling at me."

Her jaw dropped. "I was not!"

"Yah-huh!"

"Fine. I smiled _secretly."_

I giggled. Did she even realize that she was pouting a little? It was adorable. "I'm glad. I like seeing you smile." She did right then, and it made my heart skip a beat. "What about you, where would you like to go?"

"Hmm. I've been to many places in the country and all over. Europe, South America, Asia."

"And now?"

"I'll go anywhere." She murmured, "As long I'm with you."

My heart clenched and I melted. _How does she do that? _I leaned over the table. She met me halfway.

"You're so sweet," I said, cupping her cheek. I kissed her softly. "I would love that."

_God, we're so... corny!_ I was sooo glad that Jenks wasn't around to hear all this sap. All the same, deep down I really liked it. The woman knew how to disarm me on all fronts, with her natural charm and thoughtfulness, her gaze that burned with passion, her caresses that left me hungry for more, and best of all, her words that were filled with sincerity and devotion. If it was possible, they made me love her even more.

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

After our meal, we took a stroll in the garden, with the setting sun as a backdrop, illuminating our path before it completely disappeared from the horizon. We walked along a winding, graveled path, framed on one side by a small stream running over rocks that led up to a rock formation. Water flowed down through the crevices, creating a little waterfall flowing down to a small pond, which fed into the babbling brook. There was a dense canopy of trees lining the fence at the back, made of maple, eucalyptus, cedar, poplar, and scarlet oak trees. A green house stood on one side.

As we walked further down the path, we were met by an arched walkway, covered with rambling roses of various colors and shapes. On the ground were shrubs and beds of roses on either side of the path. The rose arch provided an entrance to a treasure trove of all manner of plants, which spread out to surround us. I stood there gaping as my eyes roamed everywhere. It was like a floral extravaganza, with magnolias, carnations, dandelions, lilacs and more. The garden was so well manicured. I bet they paid an arm and a leg to maintain it.

"Oh wow..." I almost cried at the splendor before me. I threw myself at my date, squeezing her. "Ivy, this wonderful!"

She beamed, hugging me back just as fiercely, "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it! Ooh, did you know that poppies are symbolic of beauty and magic?" I asked upon seeing beds of red, orange, white, and yellow poppies. Ivy shook her head. "They're also great as seasonings and used for medicine and health tonics. Water made from it can remove wrinkles."

"Is that so?"

"Uh-huh. My mom used it on some of the stuff she sold. Oh look!" I took her hand and pulled her along.

It looked liked we had reached the heart of the garden. We stood at the foot of a makeshift set of stairs made of huge, flattened rocks. Ahead of us was a vast array of flowers, arranged by color and by kind.

"Look, it's like there are two giant swans facing each other." I pointed to the center where the 'swans' were formed with bulbs of cream colored tulips, which connected at what appeared to be the beaks and at the base of their long necks, forming a heart shape between them, which was in turn made up of red tulips. "This is absolutely gorgeous!" We stepped down to the lower level. "How romantic. I could get a toothache from the sweetness."

Ivy's mouth quirked. "Why's that?"

"All flowers have symbolism. Let's take this for instance." At the base of the 'swans' were groups of flowers of different colors. I pointed to the nearest cluster, where each bloom had layers of petals that formed a dome. "These pink zinnias symbolize lasting affection, while the yellow ones mean daily remembrance. And sweet peas," I said, pointing to a bunch of baby blue and white flowers nearby, "symbolize blissful pleasure." I plucked a sweet pea and offered it to her, which she sniffed.

"Mmm. They're wonderfully fragrant."

"Aren't they?" I smiled, turning to a cluster of violet flowers with five heart-shaped petals and a white-lined yellow center. "Primroses mean enduring love. It's like saying, 'I can't live without you, I'm yours forever.'"

"They're really pretty."

I glanced at the 'swans'. "Tulips are actually my favorite. They stand high and proud. Simple, elegant, and neat."

Ivy's brow raised at my mention of neat. Hey, I may not practice it regularly, but I do appreciate neatness! I happened to like Ivy's penchant for order and cleanliness. I just didn't want to clean like crazy the way she does.

"What do tulips mean?" she asked.

"Perfect love. Although, the meanings vary a bit depending on the the color." All this talk of flowers had my heart racing. "Red tulips are a declaration of love, while cream ones say 'I will love you forever'."

"They're really big into love here, aren't they?" Her pupils had dilated but for a ring of brown, and her voice had deepened into silken tones.

I nodded slowly, staring as she licked her lips. Her voice had always had a wondrous effect on me, with or without pheromones. I felt as if there was no one else around us, that she spoke to me alone, her voice caressing me. I swallowed thickly.

She strolled past me over to another bed of flowers. When her arm brushed against mine, I felt a jolt of electricity rush down it, despite the leather barrier. She gazed at the five-petaled purple flowers with white highlights. "What about these?"

"They're ivy flowers," I said, grinning at her namesake. I plucked a fallen blossom from the ground. "Ivy flowers represent friendship, deep affection, devotion—" I gazed into her darkened eyes, lost in the fire that burned within "—and undying passion."

My Ivy drew a sharp breath and held still for a moment. Yes, _my _Ivy. She had been all along, like a delicate flower just waiting to bloom. Behind her, the sun continued its descent, its fading rays bathing her in a preternatural glow. I found myself breathless, waiting for what she might say or do next. Suddenly her eyes left mine and trailed down to the flower in my hand. She reached out for it delicately, brushing my fingers as she took the stem in her hand. Her gaze softened, and a thoughtful expression crossed her face.

"If that's the case," she began, gazing back deeply into my eyes, "with this, I give myself to you with all my heart, body and soul. I've loved you for years, since we started out as I.S. partners."

I gaped at this knowledge. _Oh my God. _Now it was all starting to make sense.

"You have no idea how much I've held back how I feel," she continued, her voice strained yet hopeful. "It hurt so much not to be able to tell you, but now that you've opened your heart to me, I want to show you just how much you mean to me."

"Oh, Ivy," I said hoarsely as tears streamed down my face, knowing she meant every word. She wiped my tears away and held my cheek, while her other hand smoothed my hair back and gently tucked the flower behind my ear. Such a simple gesture, yet it was filled with so much affection that I was only truly experiencing from Ivy for the first time.

Just when I thought I couldn't feel any more stupid for not realizing sooner, it hit me in full force just how long she had been watching over me. Piscary had made her keep tabs on me when I hardly even knew her, and she had rebelled against her master time and again out of sheer concern, even though she probably wanted to strangle me on more than one occasion. I dunno, maybe my stubbornness turned her on. Knowing Piscary's diabolical plans for me, she had the foresight to get us the church in advance, not simply to irritate her undead mother, but also to protect me from him, even as she struggled to protect me from herself. In a twisted way, I sort of felt special that Piscary hated my guts enough to pit an emotional hazard like me against his darling protégé, the best runner the I.S. had to offer, a young, drop-dead-gorgeous vamp so clearly out of my league, who fought hard against her instincts—instincts he had shaped and which I had constantly tripped—and had managed, to this day, not to rip my throat apart . I had taxed her patience and her resolve way too often, and it was amazing how many times she resisted bitch-slapping me till I came to my senses. She still constantly worried for my safety—against master vampires, the undead population at large, I.S. assassins, banshees, power-hungry werewolf clans, royally ticked-off demons, scalpel-happy coven witches, a wanna-be elf king, and a jealous ex. Damn, I really _do _have a knack for pissing people off!

Yet through it all, she loved me, even when it was _she _who needed protection from a dumbass witch like me, one who kept breaking her heart.

A wave of energy seemed to envelop me, and I wondered if… I opened my second sight and gasped. "Your aura. It's like it's embracing mine."

"I know." She smiled, tears staining her lovely face. "I can feel it, too."

I wrapped my arms tightly around her and pulled her to me. I buried my face in the crook of her neck and felt her aura wrap around me even more, but it wasn't merging with mine, more like she's pulling a non-threatening, loving aura. Imagine that. Just the thought that even her aura wanted to love me made me cry.

"I love you, Rachel. With every fiber of my being."

I pulled back to search her face. Was I deserving of such devotion? What did she even see in me? Whatever it was, it was there in her eyes, in her voice, in the way she held my face. Pure and honest. It took my breath away. I was so overcome that speech had left me. So I did the next best thing and kissed her with everything I had, hoping it was enough to let her know how much her words meant to me. When we surfaced, I buried my face on her chest, saying her name over and over, hearing her heartbeat throbbing beneath my cheek. I whispered fervently, "I love you, too."

"Oh Rachel," she rasped, her voice trembling. She hugged me back fiercely, rocking us both from side to side. "That means so much. You mean so much. You have no idea."

I kissed her again, softly this time, my lips lingering against hers before I planted another one, and another, then another, till finally she claimed my mouth. She kissed me with a thoroughness I'd never known till now. Who knew a kiss could be like this? So full of hunger and desperation, yet with so much tenderness in the way her lips and tongue brushed against mine, massaging, teasing, tantalizing, that I could do nothing else but moan helplessly and mold my body against hers, clutching at her. My back tingled all over, and I felt a rush of warmth radiating outward from between my breasts. My eyelids fluttered against her cheek as I moaned once more. Her throat rumbled in response.

Suddenly, random memories of us flitted through my mind of all the times she'd held me in her arms: when I had the spirit of the Focus trapped inside me, when I hugged her before I left for the ever-after with Trent, afraid I may never see her again, in Kisten's van, in the kitchen when she bit me the second time, and when she held me down on the mat and 'threatened' me with a kiss. None of them could even compare to this, not even when she'd kissed me in San Francisco, leaving me breathless and wanting more, not even from earlier today when she kissed me passionately at breakfast.

This one felt as if I had been catapulted into the sky, landed in a bed of fluffy, white clouds, and floated over the world in a sea of white mist, the sun bathing me in light. I felt like ley line energy welling up within me, as if it would burst through my skin. It blazed inside me, around me, till finally I felt like I was split in half, the energy erupting in expanding circles of blinding light.

It was then I came to my senses and found myself inhaling sharply, deeply, my neck and back arching. "Ahh!"

"Rachel!" Ivy moaned, her arms cradling my back.

I felt as if I just had an orgasm, but alas I hadn't. It was like a short-lived quake of pleasure, and it made me wish I did come. _God, I can't wait to make love with her. _My heart jumped in shock at this erotic epiphany. If she could turn my insides into goo like this and bring me to a state of near-ecstasy without me actually getting laid, she'd probably slay me with pleasure soon—but not soon enough! And the next time she bites me… Good lord!

I heard as much as felt her chest rumble, and when I glanced at her, her pupils were as black as midnight. She stared at me as if a storm was brewing beneath her hooded eyes. Her mouth twitched, and I could see her fangs gleaming, but instead of fear, I felt… holy tomato! I must be overwhelming her with the scent of my desire. I couldn't smell it the way she could, but her eyes told me I was right. I could feel it in the way her hands glided above my skin. She squeezed my sides under my blouse and I whimpered, wanting to feel more of her, wanting her lips, her mouth, her hands all over me, her fangs…

Oh my God, I wanted her to bite me so badly, to feel our auras merge beyond what I had experienced.

"Ivy…"

She breathed in and out slowly, deeply, and somehow she seemed a thousand times more alluring at nightfall. As soon as the sun had set, there it was. Sexy as hell and absolutely irresistible. It must be a vamp thing, because it had happened with Kisten, too, though perhaps not as dramatically. Maybe that's why that one movie was called Twilight, like it was supposed to make a bore-me-to-tears, scrawny vamp teen hunky and seductive or something. Well, whatever, Ivy seemed a lot yummier at the moment, and I just had to taste her lips again, so I did. Yowza! Making out had never been hotter.

"Rachel," she said hoarsely against my lips, "we have to stop. I—"

_Do we really have to?_ I knew what she was getting at, but God, how I wanted to make her lose control. I wanted her to take me and ravish me atop the beds of flowers, but she was right. This was hardly the place or time to… _Fuck. _Gah! I'll drive myself crazy if I don't cut it out.

"Okay. Yeah. I know." Chest heaving, I licked my lips. "Later?"

She grinned, and it was the self-assured smile of a siren who knew she didn't need to do much to make me surrender. Later. Goddammit.

"Yes," she breathed out, making a soft, hissing sound, her voice low and dripping with promise. "Later." She took my hand and tucked it in the loop of her arm, and led me through the rest of the garden and into the night.

TBC

.

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><p>Hehehe, I couldn't resist that bit about Tuscany. XD That was my way of living vicariously through Ivy since I didn't get a chance to visit those fields of sunflowers when I went to Italy several years ago.<p>

The garden description really kicked my ass! I didn't originally plan to make such a huge fuss over it, too. I am neither a gardener, a landscaper, nor a horticulture expert, but I hope I did that garden some justice.

Okay, let's see now. *grabs clipboard with reader wish list*

- How/when Rachel realized she _really_ loved Ivy... Check!  
>- More chapters... Check!<br>- First (magical) Kiss from Rachel's POV... Check!  
>- First Date... What, you think it's over? Well, the lunch date portion is, at least. (Yes, lunch time by Inderlander standards.) The night is young... ;)<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**Spoilers**: + Blood Works (graphic novel)

_This chapter is dedicated to **terpsichorean**, that busy gal. Still, she found time to pore over my drafts._

**Edit:** I added some new dialogue to balance off the longer passages. Thanks to Ibskib for reminding me about "show and tell". =P

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><p>Sorry for the delay. Thanks to y'all who left feedbackfaved/subscribed. To show my appreciation to reviewers, I left a treat in your inbox (outtakes or just plain silliness). Hope you liked it. =] To anonymous readers - sorry you couldn't get a little treat since, well, you're anonymous! My personal thanks to you guys below.

**SD** - Yes, things are fluctuating and balancing out. I agree, Ivy has a lot of respect for Rachel. They've both grown a lot since the first book, so this is my way of bridging the gap between them.

**davinelyfavored69** - Aww. Yeah, this does indeed bring out the romantic in me, hehe. Hmm, to pop or not to pop? LOL. You'll have to wait and see. I promise you'll like it. ;)

**donoterase** - Huh... haven't I responded to you before to an actual inbox? Anyway, it means a lot to me that you find this story beautiful. =]

**princessbuttercup** - Yeah, I couldn't resist adding a personal touch. XD Yes! Ivy doesn't botch it up this time. I spent a lot of time researching flower meanings, which made me wonder if KH knew about ivy flowers. If she did, bravo! If not, I claim it! XP

**From LJ** - Cool, people actually find this at LJ! I'm happy you like my stories. I've got at least a couple more Ravy stories lined up. =]

And now...

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><p><strong>Pool Table For Two<strong>

by Athena, a.k.a. il0vesunfl0wers

_Part 5_

Sitting behind Ivy on her bike with my head against her back, I took one last glance at the restaurant and garden of not-quite-Eden (that's a different park altogether, but I digress). Our date so far had been perfect, all of it, from our scrumptious lunch, our romantic stroll in the garden at sunset, and now the night promised so much more.

"So, where are we headed?" I asked over her shoulder, holding my helmet.

"You'll just have to wait and see." She winked then put on hers.

As we cruised away I hugged her tightly from behind, loving the feel of her in my arms and... er... legs. Oh boy. She squeezed my forearm, stroking it a little, letting me know that she enjoyed what I was doing. _I _certainly enjoyed what I was doing, like when my hand managed to "slip" under her jacket _and_ her shirt. The sudden swerve sent a spike of adrenaline through me. I grinned impishly, but restrained myself from "slipping" again. Though, for once, I didn't mind the harrowing experience of riding Ivy's Death-on-Wheels, I did mind the possibility that I might die before I even got to see her naked.

Truth be told, I actually loved riding motorcycles. Such sexy beasts of raw power! When I was a fresh little I.S. newbie I had an old, beat-up El Camino that Ivy once called a big chocolate bar. The ugly thing was nowhere as sweet as Ivy's bike of course.

"Hey!" I'd groused back then. "It takes me from point A to point B." Even if it conked out sometimes. When it finally died, I started to bum rides from Ivy on her bike and I loved it. I didn't even mind that she drove like a madwoman. It showed me that she wasn't always so uptight and hell bent on following every single law of the universe to the letter.

In retrospect, I realized I'd always found her sexy, looking all badass in leather astride her monster of a bike. I'd always thought it was just, you know, pure aesthetic appreciation. She _is_ quite a sight to behold after all. When I found out later on that the sound of my pounding heart played havoc with Ivy's instincts, however, I decided to only ride with her on a really-need-to-enough-to-risk-being-a-vamp-chew-toy basis. And thus began my love and hate (mostly hate) relationship with Cincinnati's public transit system.

Touching Ivy like this kept me in a state of feverish wanting, and as we cruised along the freeway my mind took a trip of its own down memory lane. I couldn't stop thinking about our kiss in the garden, or the way she kissed me at breakfast, or how she felt in my arms last night as she slept.

In the darkness, I hadn't been able to see her, but I felt the length of her against me. She smelled sooo good, and I desperately wanted to taste her skin. I wanted to run my hands all over her body, to discover the secrets underneath her nightie, and I trembled with the effort of not molesting my new Incredibly Hawt Significant Other in her sleep even as the silk rode up her thighs and the thin, lacy strap fell off her shoulder. She is Temptation personified (with a capital T!) even when unconscious. It was a miracle that I somehow managed to fall asleep, but when I woke up I wanted to ravish her, or more like wake her up so she could ravish me. I didn't trust myself not to, so I forced myself to get up and busied myself in the kitchen instead.

Dear God, when she finally came into the kitchen, she looked absolutely delectable in her short little nightie and loosely tied silk robe, her hair all tousled, the picture of Sin, the kind you wanted to embrace and would willingly go to hell for just to have a little taste. My heart stopped and my jaw unhinged at the sight of her; I thought it might drop off my face and shatter on the kitchen floor. She looked at once innocent and deliciously naughty. _Rowwrrr!_ Needless to say, she stole my breath away, and when she kissed me... I wanted to drag her back to the bedroom... or the couch, or against the counter, the floor, the table, the fridge door, whichever was closest.

I thought our breakfast would be awkward after she'd put a halt on our little hanky-panky, but it turned out sweet. Ivy smiled more, laughed more, and was wonderfully relaxed. We just... talked. Oh, and we held hands, that was nice. Mutually showing affection was something new and exciting for us, which thankfully is getting easier and more comfortable.

"I'll be back before you know it," Ivy had said before she'd left, embracing me for a long moment by the front door. She must have sensed my anxiety since she'd leaned back and cradled my cheeks. Her face, her eyes, held conviction when she declared, "I love _you_, remember that."

Then she leaned in slowly and brushed my lips with her own. As if her lips were just as reluctant to leave, they retreated gently, never breaking contact before returning with a bit more pressure. The third time, Ivy's tongue traced my bottom lip. My mouth opened to seek her moist heat, but she simply caught my bottom lip and suckled gently. I whimpered. Her tongue finally stroked mine. We both moaned as our tongues swept once, twice, till I greedily suckled hers. She clutched the back of my nape, while I squeezed her back, her shoulders, and fisted my hands in her hair with an answering moan, which reverberated down my throat, made my breasts shiver and my center throb. We parted, breathless. She planted two more smooches and purred.

"Mmmmm. I love you, too," I rasped, my forehead pressed against hers. Then I gazed deeply into her darkened eyes, which smoldered so much that I couldn't help kissing her one more time. I grinned like a fool. "See you soon."

"You betcha."

Caught in a daze, my body felt like jelly, and I probably had the silliest expression on my face as I traced my lips, which still tingled. I couldn't wait for her to return.

"My, aren't you guys getting cozy?"

I jumped at the sound of Jenks' voice, suddenly finding myself back in the hallway between our bedrooms when, last I remembered, I had been standing by the front door kissing Ivy goodbye.

"I... we... we were just... uhhh..." Apparently, startling me hadn't been enough to shake me from my Ivy-induced stupor.

Jenks chortled. Jeez, you'd think I'd been caught sneaking into my parents' house at an ungodly hour after a wild night. As he fluttered around me I got increasingly aggravated since I didn't actually have a wild night or morning or whatever, and because for some reason I felt a need to explain. After I obviously had nothing brilliant or coherent to say, he laughed even harder, pointing at me and sprinkling pixy dust as his wings hummed furiously before my face, which felt like a furnace.

"It's okay. I know what's going on," he said with a conspiratorial grin.

"Wha—?"

"I live here, too, you know. Tink's titties, I smelled you guys all over the living room and... the poooool table!" He cackled, clutching his stomach, when my eyes bulged. "You naughty girls have been quite busy, hmmm?"

"We weren't... We haven't... It wasn't like that!"

"Uh-huh. Suuuure." Arms crossed, he gave me a once over, snickering when I pulled my robe—Ivy's robe—tightly closed. My face flushed anew. I hadn't bothered to change into my own clothes. I had wanted Ivy to stay, and keeping her clothes on me was the closest thing to keeping her with me. Her scent comforted me and, besides, I really enjoyed the feel of silk on my body. It wasn't as heavenly as Ivy's skin, but it felt _really_ nice. I could see why she liked wearing silk all the time. It made me feel sexy and classy at the same time.

He _couldn't_ have smelled anything when there was, you know, nothing to smell! Nothing like _that_. There were no candles, no open windows, not even an incriminating trail of clothes scattered about. Why was I even bothering to justify what didn't happen? And gee, I really, _really_ appreciated the fabulous reminder that _nothing_ happened, damn him!

I squeezed my eyes shut in a huff, pulling an Ivy and counting to ten. I only got to four, what with Jenks giggling like a little schoolgirl and all. When I opened my eyes, I was met by a lascivious grin. So I followed up with a Glare To End All Glares, and he just laughed at me all over again. I opened my mouth to rip him a new one, but he beat me to the punch.

"It's okay. Your secret's safe with me, sugar lips." He winked and zipped off, dodging my hand and chortling. "Where'd your snuggle bunny go, anyway?"

"She... she left to go break up with Glenn," I grumbled, crossing my arms. "We're trying to do things right before we _actually_ even do anything."

"And that worries you?"

"It's just... He's a good guy. He's my friend and..." I grimaced. I seriously did _not_ want to go there.

"You feel bad 'cause she's leaving him for you?"

At some point as I held Ivy while she slept, an unpleasant thought had slammed into my head. Glenn had seen her scantily clad, naked, had made love to her, and had likely been bitten by her. Ivy was finally mine, and I had never felt so insanely and fiercely possessive in my life. I didn't want anyone else to ever see Ivy like that or to touch her, or for anyone to feel her embrace, her lips or her fangs ever again. Glenn had to leave the picture. In fact, he could screw himself. By himself. Despite that, I felt a tiny stab of guilt for wanting to blast him into the ever-after.

"Is it wrong of me to _not_ give a damn about how he feels? That I'm stealing his girl?"

The pixy threw me a knowing look. "Oh, you mean like is it wrong to want to tear his arms out of their sockets for touching _your_ girl?"

"What?"

"I've seen that look, the same one you had whenever Skimmer slept over. Like you wanted to claw at her face till she had none." His fingers curled into little claws and swiped at the air, hissing like a cat.

"I didn't—"

"Or maybe like how you wanted to play Evil Dentist on Cormell every time Ivy came home with his bite marks?"

Okay, I had to give him that. It was an accurate assessment. I didn't want to think about which page on Rynn's stupid dating guide they may have perused before she'd come home.

"You've been gay for Ivy for a long time, missy." He said this with such unnerving seriousness that it gave me pause. "Long before Glenn came along. And she was never really his or Skimmer's or Rynn's to begin with, you know. You always had her heart."

Leave it to Jenks to annoy and reassure me at the same time.

"I don't need to give you the whole speech about breaking her heart, right?" he continued, his eyes glinting dangerously as he slowly drew his sword from the scabbard and tapped the flat side of the blade against his palm menacingly. "I won't need to pix your knicker drawers or worse, will I?" I was a little intimidated. The pixy could actually be quite scary sometimes, but mostly I felt defiant and peeved that he'd actually pulled that on me.

"I love her!" I snapped at him, then mumbled as I stared at the floor, "I really love her. I know that now and, more importantly, so does Ivy." I looked back up at him, feeling the flames of passion burning in my chest as I declared, "I plan to show her just how much everyday for the rest of my life. So you can shove your overbearing father routine where the sun don't shine."

"And miss my chance to threaten you?" he quipped with a smirk, waving his sword in the air. "So touchy. Do you know how long I've waited for this day?"

"Humph!"

"Just remember, I know where you live, wench." He made a slashing movement with his sword, like a miniature Zorro sans black mask, hat and cape, before slowly sheathing it at his side. "It's about damn time you owned up to it." He turned and floated away towards the back door that led to the garden. He paused and glanced over his shoulder at me. "And Rache?"

"What now?" I barked.

With a sly smile he said, "Enjoy your honeymoon."

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

An enormous wooden rollercoaster appeared on the right side of the freeway, bringing me back to the present astride Ivy's bike. That plus her hand stroking my thigh made me snap to attention. She looked over her shoulder at me and pointed to it as if in question. I was tempted to get home and get in her pants instead—that would be one hell of a ride in and of itself. Still, I hadn't been on a rollercoaster for so long. I couldn't resist, so I gave Ivy a thumbs-up. She revved the engine, took the next freeway exit and headed to the parking lot.

When we finally set foot in the amusement park, a wave of excitement surged within me.

"Ivy this is awesome!" I squealed, practically bouncing as I dragged her to the nearest roller coaster.

Never mind that we were about to have a lot of fun riding roller coasters. I strutted around, practically congratulating myself because I had a gorgeous woman on my arm. Actually, I was nestled in _her_ arm, with her hand settled on my waist. Possessive much? Hell, I didn't care. In fact, I reveled in it. I was pretty sure heads turned our way because of her. Okay, that and because we're two women and men in particular found that hot. I couldn't blame them. I wanted to see some girl-on-girl action, too, starring me and my hot new girlfriend behind closed doors. And maybe a floor length mirror. Quite shamelessly I winked at the gaping fools in our path.

As we walked around, or while waiting to board a roller coaster (thankfully, Ivy bought a couple of Fast Passes so we could skip most of the ridiculously long lines), I found myself checking out my date far too often. Her jeans were so damn tight. I was almost jealous that they got to embrace her scrumptious legs so intimately. Her leather jacket sat at the waist and her blouse ended midway down her glorious ass (they're absolutely bootylicious, I tell ya), which gave me a teasing glimpse of the tight, round swells. I swear, I had to stop myself from copping a feel. My hands itched to grab and squeeze them, maybe even spank them. She also wore a scoop neck blouse that gave me a little peek of her cleavage. I think she caught me staring at her a few times, and my cheeks burned like hell as I tried to quickly look away, only to be caught again!

On the line for the third ride, she leaned into my ear. "It's okay if you look, you know," she purred with that gray silk voice that made me tingle all over. Eyes twinkling, the groove on her cheek deepened. "I like it when you do. You can check me out all you want."

Actually, it was more like I wanted to undress her, and not just with my eyes, and then feel her up while I was at it. _Down, hormones!_ Good lord...

"I don't ever remember seeing you this relaxed," I said, wrapping my arms around her waist. "So carefree."

Her mouth quirked. "Maybe I just needed to scream some."

_I bet I could make you scream lots,_ I almost quipped. I giggled instead and pecked her nose. "I guess so. I like this look on you. I love seeing you smile." Which she did just then, and it made my heart flutter.

I'd never seen her smile this much. Ever. And... she teased me! That was new. I mean, it was different from before. She was mostly sarcastic and wry, but this time she was playful and sassy, and she even flirted with me! And... she touched me. It was kind of subtle and sensual, like when she would place her hand on my waist or my hip or the small of my back, brushing her fingers above my clothes, sometimes squeezing lightly. I felt it like a caress, as if she was touching my skin directly. Whenever she stroked my hand, it reminded me of when she'd kissed it at the restaurant. She was driving me mad and kept me humming with desire.

I found myself fantasizing about doing things like dragging Ivy into some secluded corner, pinning her against the wall, kissing her like crazy, and mussing her hair and clothes till we both forgot about everything else. Alas, I wasn't that daring… yet.

_Jesus, I have the hots for my house (church) mate._ I really had it bad. Will I ever get used to this newfound craving? Somehow, opening myself to love also opened the floodgates that held back a roaring rapid of hormones. _Or a tsunami wall at this rate._

Luckily, the roller coaster rides helped to take the edge off. I lived for moments like this, for the thrill of anticipation, simultaneously knowing what was ahead yet not knowing how truly scary it was until that first steep drop. As the car suddenly plunged, I screamed, surrendering to the moment. I let the excitement consume me. The rush of air exhilarated me as we were propelled along more steep slopes, the accompanying drops taking my breath away, followed by twists and turns that were loopier than Newt's brain.

Still, at the end of it all I would still _really_ rather ride Ivy.

_Gah! Stop it, witch!_

I mentally slapped myself. She had to have smelled how I was feeling the entire time, oh she of the all-knowing olfactory glands. For Ivy not to jump me must really mean that she'd gotten better control of her libido and instincts, and I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed about that. Seriously, had I really been this pent up with lust for Ivy or what? Where was a shower stall when I needed one? Maybe I should get a bucket of popcorn, empty the damn thing, fill it with ice and then dump it all over me! Or I could hop into one of the giant fountains and jump around like a madwoman, but that would ruin Ivy's leather jacket and my vamp made boots, not to mention make my hair all frizzy. Just the thought of Ivy's leather jacket hugging me and the knowledge that our scents were mixing even more now, marking me, made me flush even more with heat.

"Hey."

I blinked with a start when that silky voice I loved permeated my lust-addled brain. I glanced up at Ivy, feeling sheepish, and found a ghost of a smile on her face.

"Care to play some games?" my vampire asked.

Apparently we were now standing near some booths and the arcade. _Perfect!_ _I wouldn't mind kicking her ass before I kiss it, ha. _"Sure," I replied, welcoming the distraction. "Which one?"

"How about a shooting game?" Ivy's mouth quirked. "Let's see if carrying your splat gun around has actually made a difference with your aim."

"Psshh! Prepare to be astounded by my brilliant marksmanship."

"Wow, you actually think you have a chance against me?" It wasn't really a question, and Ivy's raised eyebrow said as much, which made me cock a hip to the side and place a hand on top of it.

"Hey, I happen to be very good with my splat gun!"

Ivy snorted. "If you say so." She laughed at my ineffectual attempt to whack her on the arm. "What will I get when I win?"

"Excuse me? You're pretty damn sure of yourself."

"You know I'm right." Ivy chuckled in that self-assured way that used to irritate me and made me want to sass her to annoy her right back. Nowadays it still made me want to sass her, but now we were play fighting, and I had to admit that it was a lot more fun.

"As if. Okay, how about—" An idea formed in my mind. I declared coyly, "Winner gets breakfast in bed for a week."

"In bed, huh?" Ivy's brow arched. "You're on."

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

"Ready?" I asked as Rachel and I both reached for a gun and aimed. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. She looked so serious, like she was at a shooting range. She looked so cute concentrating like that, but I doubt it would really help. We both knew that I'm the better sharpshooter.

"Bring it, Fang Girl."

Soon, shots exploded… on zombies. It was ridiculous, really, that humans were afraid of zombies, which weren't real. They really ought to be more afraid of the undead or a great many other Inderlanders that did exist. The notion of a zombie apocalypse was absurd. I once asked Matthew what the big deal was. He said perhaps humans expected to become zombies when the Turn occurred. Ah, best not to think about the guy whose heart I'd left broken...

The first level was slow and instructional, so Miss Antsy Pants, next to me, kept sighing.

"Can't we skip this part?" Rachel whined. "What else is there to know other than point and shoot?"

I chuckled._ Typical._ "Some of us actually like rules."

"I'd roll my eyes at you, but I might lose track of the zombies on my screen. Oh golly gee, look, _more_ instructions." So my witch made a show of rolling her eyes at me. I just chuckled some more.

Zombies came at us one at a time, lurking in the shadows before jumping out of nowhere to charge at us, arms raised and fingers clawing menacingly. Rachel fired constantly, reloading often, whereas I took my time, my aim measured and precise. Naturally I hit all targets perfectly... until hoards began to attack from every corner on the next level and rushed at us from all directions. Damn, Rachel's mode of attack actually worked to her advantage this time, which I confirmed when I took a quick peek on her screen, where more and more groups of zombies perished.

In a real life situation (if zombies were even real), I would have started kicking and elbowing them aside, grabbed some object to bash them around with, and my vampire speed would ensure they would never even touch me. Alas, this was not real life, so I was rather dismayed to suddenly find my screen getting smashed and spattered with my game character's blood as the zombies clawed and gnashed their rotten teeth. Rachel snickered next to me, which made me frown in ire because soon enough the fourth round ended. I gaped in shock when the screen flashed our scores.

"Ha!" Rachel burst with glee, and perhaps more than a healthy dose of smugness. She turned to me, toy gun pointed upward, and blew imaginary smoke with a cheeky grin.

"Getting cocky, aren't we?" I said, feeling my brow arch upward.

Rachel dusted off her shoulder. "Well, what can I say? I don't carry splat guns for nothin'."

I snorted. I shook my head even as I smiled at her. "Enjoy your little victory now. I won't be so easy on you from here on."

"Riiiiight."

The next round commenced, which involved using sniper rifles while crouching over rooftops. This time it was my turn to snicker. Naturally, I took out every target with ease, gaining more points, and I wouldn't be surprised if Rachel was only ahead by a slim margin now.

"Ha, take that!" Rachel laughed maniacally all of a sudden.

Apparently she found some grenades stashed in random places, and she seemed to be finding them faster than I did judging from the whistling sounds she made, the kind that reminded me of firecrackers launching up into the sky, followed by her rendition of explosions as she took out clusters of zombies. If I wasn't losing, I'd probably find it funny, maybe even cute.

"That's ridiculous!" I huffed. "Who puts grenades on the roof?"

"Aww, is the vampire bitter 'cause she didn't find any?" she cooed.

"Whatever," I said irritably, only to earn giggles. "That's just pure, dumb luck."

"If you say so."

After several more rounds, we finally ran out of coins and our characters finally died. The screen flashed our final scores. Rachel screamed in victory, doing a merry little jig in place.

"What?" I gaped at the screen. Unbelievable.

"Suck it up, Tamwood."

I rolled my eyes, depositing the toy gun back in place, albeit with a little more force than was really necessary. I crossed my arms and turned to face a beaming redhead, who at any other time I'd secretly fawn over. Instead, I sent her a dry stare. "See, if my character had been a vampire, clearly you would have lost to vamp speed and strength, not to mention I'd level up considerably as an undead."

"So? If mine had been a witch, I'd have used my circle to deflect them and then blasted them with ley line energy. So there." Rachel stuck her tongue out at me, then smiled. "Just face it. You owe me breakfast in bed all week. Preferably wearing an apron. That means you'll need to get up early."

Now, a part of me was actually rejoicing because my loss gave me an excuse to pamper her. I would love to see her reaction, whether she waited in her bed or mine, preferably naked, or at least wearing something skimpy. Unfortunately, this took a back seat since the competitor in me just would not let it drop. "Let's make it two out of three."

Rachel laughed. "Such a sore loser, aren't we?"

"Bet you can't beat me at the next game."

"I _guess_ I'll humor you," she said wryly. "I don't want your ego bruising too much and ruining our date."

That last word made me smile. My ire lessened considerably. I couldn't help being competitive anymore than Rachel could, and this situation reminded me of the good old days when we used to be I.S. partners and bickered all the time. I missed those times when Rachel smiled more and sassed at me, even as I chewed her out for not following protocol. As annoying as she was, I grew to love her for her independence and boldness. She was impetuous and predictably unpredictable, but she got the job done. Thanks to Denon, our runs were often perilous and dicey. So despite all my careful planning, in the end a run sometimes called for more... creative measures, and it was during those moments that I grew to appreciate, even admire, Rachel all the more.

Thanks to her, I began to allow myself to leave things to chance sometimes (it's still hard, but I'm still learning), to live in the moment and let situations unfold and take their natural course. Our runs taught me that it was okay to unleash myself and let my instincts take over, and it didn't have to be the biting, vicious kind. I'd always associated my instincts with my vampiric predisposition for savagery, something I was certainly capable of and therefore ashamed of thanks to Piscary. I learned that instincts could also be about talent and aptitude, things I knew I had in spades, and I learned to believe in myself more, which helped me succeed in abstaining from blood.

Rachel accepted me for _me_, even if what she saw was someone impatient and overbearing. She still treated me as a friend, a comrade, and most importantly, Rachel trusted me, made me feel, no, _believe_ that I was capable of great things, of being a good person who could help others.

I had always wondered what it was about Rachel that made me want to prove myself, that made me want to protect her and (in some cases to show her the error of her ways) to save her. Yet the answer had been there all along. I wanted someone kind and giving, who made me feel alive and believe that life was worth living and fighting for. I hated how those reasons could lead to codependence. I wanted Rachel to want me, truly love me, for the kind of person that she made me feel. Now that Rachel loved me back, I would nurture that love, stoke the fire and keep it burning.

"Okay." Rachel's voice brought me back to the present. "Since I won, I get to pick the next game."

"No way. It's my turn now."

"You got to pick the first one."

I shrugged. "I only made a suggestion."

"Whatever. Let's do this." Rachel stuck out her fist.

I stared at it blankly. "What?"

"Rock-paper-scissors. Winner gets to decide the next game."

_Seriously?_ "Or we can flip a coin."

"But this is more fun." Rachel looked at me expectantly. "Come on!"

A few minutes later...

"Ha, I win!" I proclaimed. "I say we play Go-Kart Racing."

Rachel groaned. "Swell."

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

Zipping up Ivy's jacket on my chest, I sat on my go-kart, sour faced and wishing I was elsewhere. It was bad enough that I had to wear a helmet smelling of stale sweat from a multitude of strangers. Gross! Ivy was a speed demon, and though these weren't real racecars, she would undoubtedly drive as if they actually were. Hell, they even looked like miniature Formula 1 racecars.

Next to me, Ivy gleefully revved the engine on her go-kart, beaming cheekily, looking as if the smelly helmets didn't bother her one bit. I didn't want to give the vampire any premature ideas about victory, but I knew that Ivy's chances were pretty high since this was a crazy ride and she was a crazy driver. Regardless, I refused to go down without a fight. Oh _hell_ no!

The ride attendant stopped by to check our seat belts to make sure they were all fastened securely. Ivy growled at him when he reached for my seatbelt straps. His eyes bulged upon seeing her glaring at him. He quickly went through the motions and moved on to the next person.

I rolled my eyes. _Every damn time,_ I thought, remembering the rides we were on earlier. "Will you lighten up?" I told Ivy. "The guy was just doing his job."

"Yeah, but he didn't have to look all lecherous about it." Ivy shot the guy one more dirty look for good measure. "He could have fondled you."

I sighed, not because I didn't really have much to fondle on my chest, although that was irritating in itself, but because I really shouldn't have been surprised. Ivy had always been territorial, and it was worse now that we're a couple. She was actually vocal about it this time, going as far as hissing and baring her teeth sometimes when possessiveness reared its ugly head. I'll have to chastise her later about that.

At the starting line Seat Belt Guy waved a black and white, checkered flag. "On your mark," he shouted as he walked towards the curb. "Get set." Engines revved. "Go!" And it was on.

Naturally, Ivy quickly maneuvered around our competition to the inside curves of the racetrack. Earlier she said that the motors sounded like older motorcycle engines, which undoubtedly spurred her on to go as fast as she could make it, despite the many twists and turns.

The go-kart was stiff and the steering wheel was heavy, but it actually moved faster than I expected. I charged on, passing by casual drivers (you'd think they were taking a scenic tour), but there were others who were rather competitive. A few even bumped me and started to get a little nasty, and I was tempted to take off my silver bracelet just to zap them silly.

"Jackass," I yelled, though they probably didn't hear me.

Ivy was now ahead of the pack, and I was somewhat relieved that the nasty drivers overtook me to catch up to her. One such driver bumped Ivy's go-kart from behind and I could have sworn that, after the third time, Ivy's aura came out. She didn't do anything particularly hostile as that would earn an instant disqualification, but it was menacing enough to get others to back off. Seeing my opportunity, I floored it and passed the frightened drivers, tempted to stick my tongue out at them, maybe even give them the finger, but I didn't bother. I had a vamp to catch for a week's worth of breakfast in bed, baby!

At last it was the final lap, with Ivy and me at the lead. Just when I thought I was getting ahead, the track curved sharply. I lost momentum as I swerved to compensate. I let go of the gas pedal, afraid to roll over with the go-kart. Ivy's skidded as she turned, the rubber wheels screeching, totally at ease. As soon as the track straightened, I stomped on the gas pedal with renewed determination. I could have sworn that Ivy slowed down a bit because as I approached her side, Ivy flashed a toothy smile, then suddenly she stormed ahead, leading by a few feet and crossing the finish line in first place.

"You know, that was practically a freebie," Ivy told me later on as she took off her helmet. "I'm not sure if I can accept this as a real victory."

"Psshh, whatever!" I shoved my pathetic excuse of a helmet at Seat Belt Guy, whose eyes bulged as he staggered back.

Ivy snickered at him. She smoothed back her hair, turning to me. "It's a tie, then. What shall we do for a tiebreaker?"

I stuck my fist out at her and looked expectantly, but she just rolled her eyes. Alas, after a few rounds...

"Yeahhh!" I pumped my fist. "My turn."

"This is stupid." Ivy huffed, arms crossed. "How can paper beat rock?"

"Hey, I didn't make the rules. Besides, I thought you liked rules."

"Of course, but that doesn't even make any sense!" She exhaled sharply. "Scissors beating paper makes complete sense, and a huge rock can crush a pair of scissors, sure. But paper beats rock? That's preposterous!"

I could tell her I agreed, but she looked so adorable standing there, pouting and as close to whining as she could get. I'd never seen her like this... and I liked it. Technically, she had yelled at me numerous times, but this time it was different somehow. One thing was for sure: I enjoyed getting her riled up. It secretly thrilled me that I could get to her this much. I just wanted to hug her and squeeze her to bits. Instead, I retorted wryly, "Everyone knows that paper wraps around rock."

"That's like saying an umbrella can ward off an avalanche." Ivy's waved her hands around in exasperation. "And... and rock can pierce through paper!"

"Whatever." I smiled. "Just face it, honey, you lost."

"Humph!" Ivy crossed her arms and looked away, muttering, "Stupid game with stupid rules." She sighed heavily. "What do you want to do for a tiebreaker then?"

I tried not to laugh, I really did. I coughed a bit to stop myself from giggling, which earned a suspicious glance from Ivy. "I haven't decided yet. Whatever it is, no using vampire super powers."

"Vampire what?"

"You know, no going 'Selene' on me."

"Who?"

"From Underworld. Vamp in skintight latex?" I grinned mischievously, hooking my fingers into Ivy's belt hoops and pulling her close, purring. "You know, she reminds me of you actually: über hot, sexy, cool and collected." My hands snaked up Ivy's sides and around her neck. "Strong, fast and deadly."

Ivy blinked a couple times, then gave me a lopsided grin. "You think I'm über hot?"

"Mm-hmm." I squeezed her for emphasis. "You'd make a habanero pepper jealous."

"Mmm." Purring, Ivy leaned down and kissed me languorously, her arms wrapping around my waist. Still, her mind filtered through the praises back to our previous topic. "So you think I'd go 'Selene' on you and cheat?"

"I'm just saying." I leaned in for another kiss, but Ivy pulled back with a frown.

"How do I know you won't use magic?"

"Helloooo." I lifted my wrist and jangled the silver bracelet. "Magically neutered, remember?"

"For all I know you have some spells tucked away under your shirt."

"Hmm, wouldn't you like to know?" I fingered my charm necklace. Ivy's eyes tracked its slow descent from my collarbone to the edge of my blouse. The rest of the necklace was hidden beneath it. Her pupils dilated till they were darker than the midnight sky. Her head darted up at the sound of my throaty chuckle.

_It_ _still blows my mind to have such power over Ivy like this._ I knew that somehow I always had it, but it was another thing to use it. I realized at some point that when Ivy's eyes turned black, it was due to some powerful emotion she couldn't hide, just as I couldn't hide the scent of my emotions. I supposed we were even; if Ivy could smell my desire, then it was only fair that I could at least see it reflected in her eyes.

_Oh, the fun we can have._

Unable to contain the grin threatening to split my face, I let it loose, then started walking backwards, tugging on Ivy's hand. "Come on. Let's find us a tiebreaker."

Ivy dragged me over to play Ball and Bucket Toss. I didn't bother to play. Everyone knew that blasted game was rigged, but she was so determined to impress me with her skills, I guess.

"Hey, the ball keeps bouncing out," Ivy told Booth Boy.

"You missed."

"You ass," she spat. "I said it bounced _out. _Which means it went _in._"

Crap, she started pulling an aura on Booth Boy, who looked like he was about to pee in his pants. He was a short little human staring up at about six feet of angry vampire. He practically shoved a teddy bear at her.

"You didn't have to pull an aura on him, you know." Just like everyone else, he was just doing his job. Then again, if he had to get a part time job somewhere, why get one that would piss off customers?

"It was rigged!"

"Duh."

"Hey!" she groused. "I thought I could beat the system."

"Well, it's the thought that counts, I guess." I giggled when she stuck her tongue out at me. I stroked the teddy bear. "I'd never been one for dolls or stuffed animals. They remind me of hospitals as a sickly child, but coming from you, it's okay."

Her face softened. "Really?"

I nodded. It was pretty sweet really, and it was prime material I could use to tease her with later.

Next we approached Ring The Bell where yet another human braved the park. Though he looked like a professional wrestler, he couldn't hit the bell with the mallet if his life depended on it.

"Sorry, sir," said the game attendant, this time a were, "but you might want to try the human version over there."

Macho Wrestler fumed, but the game attendant had a point. This one was catered to Inderlanders who were far stronger, and hence it would be harder to ring the bell.

Ivy paid the were, who leered at her. At that moment, I realized that perhaps Ivy was justified when she had practically snarled at Seat Belt Guy and the ride attendants earlier. I didn't consider myself as the jealous girlfriend type, but for some reason the way the were was openly ogling Ivy really rubbed me the wrong way. To her credit, Ivy didn't seem to notice, or if she did, she paid him no mind.

Ivy grabbed the large mallet and, after throwing me a cocky yet sultry grin, she heaved the mallet in an arching motion and struck the pivot board. Without fail, the indicator shot up and hit the bell hard. Behind me, Macho Wrestler cursed, unable to believe that a delicate looking woman like Ivy could beat him at this game.

_If he only knew,_ I thought smugly.

Although Ivy may look "delicate" with her long, lithe body—a model's body, but athletic and fit, toned and supple with just enough muscle definition—she was very strong. So yummy. I had to admit that besides appreciating the sensual way she moved, Ivy's displays of strength thrilled me.

"Mmm, my mighty warrior princess," I greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Laughing, Ivy gestured at the prizes. "What spoils wouldst thou like, my fair lady?"

"Hmm. I'll take the Bite Me Betty doll."

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

"Aha! Now this is it. _This_ is our tiebreaker."

My eyes followed Rachel's hand as she pointed to a large arching metal structure that rose up to about 17 to 20 stories high. It was essentially a colossal swing for thrill seekers like her. It had two "swings", each accommodating one to two people, swinging up and down like giant pendulums.

"Okay, here's the deal," Rachel said. "We both keep our hands up in the air. First one to take them down loses. First one to scream loses."

I looked skyward in doubt. I also liked excitement (who didn't?), but I also liked being in control. I had no problem whatsoever going at insane speeds on my bike, whizzing and needling through traffic as if it was a game. Was it dangerous? If you weren't careful. Thrilling? Absolutely. But at least I had control of my bike. I knew its limits as much as what it was capable of. If I was about to crash into something, I could always let go of handlebar and jump off if necessary, but this?

This involved being willingly trapped, just like with the roller coaster rides we'd been on, although those had large metal harnesses that strapped you down instead. I'd felt like sheep. At least sheep got to graze in a calm, quiet meadow. Thankfully I wasn't sheep in a massive herd of people waiting in line for at least an hour to get trapped in some stupid ride. I'd seen people get stuck on a roller coaster, sometimes upside down on a looping rail, and they would hang helplessly, waiting for someone to rescue them. I wouldn't be surprised if some vampire got sued for breaking off a metal harness to get free, only to counter-sue for negligence.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing," I replied a little too quickly.

Rachel frowned in concern. "You look really tense."

It was no use for me to pretend. Rachel may not be able to smell emotions, but she could sense when I was troubled. "I don't like this. There are a number of ways this could go wrong." I narrowed my eyes at Rachel suspiciously. Her face was twitching, and I had a feeling that she was trying not to laugh at me.

"The people earlier were fine," she said casually. "We'll be fine, don't worry."

I stared at the riders once more. They were screaming like crazy, but they did look like they were having fun. Still...

"Unless of course you want to back out," Rachel added, making my head dart back to her, "and declare me the winner by default."

"What? No! I was just... assessing potential hazards."

"Right," Rachel replied dryly. Then she smiled a little too sweetly. "If it makes you feel better, we can ask for the blueprints and schematics for this thing."

"Hey!" I glowered at her, pouting.

Rachel burst out laughing. Before I could fire a retort, she grabbed my hand and pulled. "Just saying. Now come on!"

Moments later, they had wrapped us in a cocoon-like harness with nothing for us to hold onto. The harness was tethered to two metal cables: one connected to the arch, while the other began to tow us backward to the summit. Soon we were lying parallel with the ground, which was quickly disappearing as we were lifted into the sky. My heart rate sped up, as did Rachel's, only hers was due to excitement and anticipation, whereas my heart pounded with trepidation. I squeezed Rachel's hand, which squeezed mine back.

At last we reached the summit with only each other for company, our arms and feet dangling in the air, the harness suspended by the two cables. The people below looked like ants; some were staring up at us, waiting to see our reactions. It was quiet but for the sound of the breeze and my heartbeat thundering in my ears. I repressed a shudder.

"Relax," Rachel told me in a soothing voice. "It'll be over before you know it."

"I just don't like being wrapped up like this."

Rachel caressed my hand with her thumb. "Pretend we're hang gliding or skydiving with parachutes."

I glanced at her, trying to look cool and collected like Selene indeed. "At least with those you actually have control. We have no control."

"Sure we do. See, I just have to pull this cord here and we're off." Rachel squeezed my hand once more. "Ready?"

I closed my eyes and took a deep, calming breath. "Alright. Let's do this."

"Okay, arms up. Here we go!" I felt a tug as Rachel pulled. "Uh oh."

My eyes shot wide open. "What do you mean, 'uh oh'?"

"I'm not too sure, but..." Her voice sounded strained. "I think we're stuck."

Neither of us said anything after that. All we heard was the sound of the breeze. But not for long.

"What?" Did I just squeak? My eyes widened like saucers.

"The, uh, the release cord thingy won't budge." The harness jerked as Rachel continued to tug at it.

"You're kidding me!" _This can't be happening. What the hell!_

"I'm serious. Just... relax. Maybe it just takes a while to—"

"Where is it?" I snapped at her.

"On my side," Rachel snapped right back. "Jeez, hold on for a sec."

"Why don't I just pull it myself?"

"I can do this," she said with a sharp exhale. "Just... hang in there."

I tried not to panic, I really did. _Okay, think, Tamwood. Think! _I closed my eyes and tried to assess our options. I could try yelling and hope that another Inderlander with sensitive hearing would pick up and come to our rescue, but then I would never be able to live that down. I could tear open the harness that enveloped our bodies, but then we would fall to the ground. I felt a little shaky, but in the calmest tone I could muster, I asked, "Does your circle work in mid-air or do we need to have contact with the ground?"

"I dunno. I've never tried." Rachel paused for a second, then resumed tugging on the release cord. "It's okay, just give me a minute."

"For crying out loud, Rachel, will you just give it to meeeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

We plummeted, as if we were suddenly pushed off from the 17th floor, freefalling at possibly 60 miles per hour. I felt like my heart dropped to my stomach and my chest was going to burst from the pressure. The ground kept coming closer and closer. I squeezed my eyes shut, still screaming. I opened them again just in time to see us skimming just six feet above the ground before we soared upward in an arc. Once we reached the peak, we started freefalling again, only backwards this time. My stomach lurched and I screamed again.

"Wooooooooo!" Rachel howled, then suddenly she was giggling uncontrollably. She brought our clasped hands up. "I'm flyiiiiiiiing! We're flying, Ivy! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

"You witch! You did that on purpose!" I railed at Rachel after we left that blasted ride. "What if that was a real emergency? You could have died! At least I'd be undead."

Rachel just kept laughing. She'd been laughing since we'd landed and I'd started ranting at the ride attendants about their failed safety inspection. Before I could chew her out some more, Rachel kissed me passionately. I melted instantly, surrendering to the kiss, to the arms that enveloped me. So what if we were giving a free show?

"I'm sorry," Rachel whispered against my cheek, her arms around my neck. "It was just a little prank. I didn't mean to upset you. If it had been a real emergency, I would have yanked off the bracelet and protected you, us. I would never let you get hurt."

For a moment I forgot my ire, loving the fact that Rachel was holding me close with no qualms.

Until Rachel started talking again.

"Still, I guess this means I win, though."

I jerked backward. "But you cheated! You said no cheating!"

"I said no using super powers."

She laughed at me again when I pouted and scowled. Great. She was really ticking me off. My face was burning, and it was probably as red as a tomato. I wouldn't be surprised if steam was coming out of my ears.

"Aww, don't be like that," she tried to pull me closer, but I refused to budge. "I was just trying to break the tension up there. You were so nervous."

"I was not," I sulked. "I was worried about things going wrong."

"You were freaking out."

"Because I thought there was something wrong!"

Rachel winced at my outburst. I looked away, mortified that I was throwing a tantrum in public. She drew my chin to face her and then pulled my head down for another kiss, gently this time. I was unmoving at first, knowing that Rachel was trying to get out of trouble the easy way, but then I realized that there was no point in resisting. I craved her touch, her lips, and her warmth too much. I sighed in surrender.

With one last smooch, Rachel pulled back, smiling as she cradled my face. "I really just wanted to see you in an apron." She said that placatingly, but the way her eyes slowly traveled down my body told me she probably preferred that I wore nothing else underneath. I shivered. Then she looked back up at me with puppy dog eyes. "Can you blame me?"

It was a good thing that I was a quick thinker. Rachel may have won the battle, but the war wasn't over yet. So I played along. I squeezed her waist, mumbling, "I guess I can't, but you're going to have to make it up to me."

"Oh?" Rachel's brows arched. "How?"

"Hmm." I tilted my head in contemplation. The possibilities were endless. I needed a plan, and I needed some time to mull it over so I can exact my revenge flawlessly. I flashed a toothy grin at Rachel, which, to my delight, garnered a sharp intake of breath. It was amazing how Rachel reacted to the sight of my fangs. I loved how much it turned her on, and of course I planned to exploit it in the (hopefully) near future. "I think I'll save it and claim it at a time of my choosing."

"But—"

I raised my brow at her, effectively shutting her up. Rachel once told me that my brows seemed to have a mind of their own, that somehow they spoke volumes about what I thought or felt. If that was the case, then this one just told Rachel that there was no room for argument.

"Don't worry. I promise you'll enjoy it," I said in a way that made her breath hitch and her pupils dilate. Winking, I turned slowly and sauntered away, leaving a gaping Rachel in my wake.

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

Rachel and I had dinner at a little after midnight at the food court. Not exactly the most romantic or appetizing place to eat, but we were famished and it was right there. I was about to pay the cashier when Rachel elbowed me aside lightly.

"You've already spent enough tonight, Ivy. Allow me."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. I'll get this."

"No. I'll get it." Rachel took out her wallet.

"You can make me dinner. How's that?"

"You took me to lunch. I'm getting this and that's final."

I couldn't just let her. It was ridiculously expensive for non-gourmet food. I was about to object again, but between her unyielding stare and the cashier's mutterings, plus the hungry mob looming behind us, I started to waver.

"Ivy, don't make me take off my bracelet on you," Rachel said, brows raised and hip cocked to the side.

My tummy growled just then. "Oh, alright. Just this once."

The food was... edible, but otherwise filling. The redhead next to me looked far tastier, but food was food. _There's always... dessert. Mmm, I hope so!_

We stopped by the gift shops. I got us a couple of coffee mugs to commemorate the occasion. Rachel got a cute little red gemstone for the Bite Me Betty doll. She said it reminded her of me, her eyes twinkling as she glanced at my navel, which sent heat racing to that very spot underneath my shirt. She pinned it on the spot where there would have been a belly button, then winked at me. I turned into mush, all giddy inside because my witchy love apparently had a thing for my belly button ring.

We stopped by a photo booth and made silly poses. She kissed me on the cheek on one of them, and next thing I knew we were making out while the camera flashed.

Holding hands on the way back to the park entrance, Rachel looked up at the gondolas floating above, which glided smoothly from one side of the park to the entrance. She squeezed my hand gently and smiled up at me.

"Hey Ivy, let's ride a gondola. My feet could use a break."

"Sure," I replied. Finally, a ride that was calm and quiet and had no harnesses.

The gondola was shaped like one of those old fashioned carriages, only instead of being pulled by horses, it dangled from steel cables that gently carried it in a linear path high above ground, giving riders a peaceful passage and a view of the amusement park and neighboring cities.

"What are you doing over there?" Rachel asked, staring at me since I was sitting on the opposite seat. She patted the spot next to her. "Sit here with me."

Grinning, I carefully made my way over to do just that. "Don't mind if I do." I settled into her open arms. "I really like this side of you."

"What?"

"Playful and affectionate."

"Mmm. What can I say?" She squeezed me. "I like holding you."

I wasn't completely surprised. For as long as I could remember, even when we used to be I.S. partners, she had always been the touchy-feely type. Normally I didn't just let anyone touch me unless I was game for seduction, but I always welcomed her touch. More often than not they were casual touches, or she'd lightly squeeze my hand or my arm. There were times when she'd brushed my hair back behind my ear. At other times she was simply being sweet and gregarious. And she liked to ride with me on my bike, her chest rubbing against my back as she held me. It was pure torture, and it drove me crazy for years.

On our first I.S. run she'd even pretended that we were lovers on a date so we could get past the sleazy bouncer and into a nightclub frequented by weres. She had unbuttoned her blouse till her bra was showing, then she'd clung to my arm, her breasts rubbing against me. He'd let us in all right. She didn't let go right away or button up, and for a moment I wasn't sure if we were still pretending. It didn't stop there. She pulled the same trick a few more times at bars, clubs or otherwise since it worked pretty well for us. It was intoxicating. It fanned the flames of lust for years to come.

"I've missed this," I murmured. "You used to touch me more… Till that first night at the church."

Rachel tensed. It all came to a crashing halt that night. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know—"

"It's okay. I get it. I'm sorry, too. I could barely control myself back then." She'd been sending me mixed signals. Worse, she wasn't even conscious of doing them. I had to give her the vampire dating guide for chrissakes. I held her closer to me and kissed her temple. "You make me lose control."

She giggled, then settled further into me.

I dared to dream that one day she would touch me again without reservation as if it was the most natural thing in the world, the way she used to, but I also hoped she would touch me because she _was_ sending me signals—big flashing ones that said, "Come and get me, tiger!"

Since yesterday she had begun to open herself up to me that way again. Though if I really thought about it, she seemed to have opened up earlier than that, even if she was hesitant and it was random. I should have noticed sooner, but I just didn't want to be disappointed by believing in something that seemed surreal. Hell, she'd let me kiss her—really kiss her—in San Francisco, and boy, did that leave me dizzy.

God, how I craved her. If I hadn't been tired from a run when I got home, and if I hadn't bawled till my energy was sapped, I'd have gotten into a lot of trouble with her in my bed. Which was why I had decided to take the bike, and she responded gloriously. I basked in it, the way she clung to my hand or my arm, or simply pressed against my body. And this entire time, I could smell her desire, stronger than they had ever been now that she had acknowledged her attraction to me. It flowed and ebbed from her in gentle waves, haunting me, sometimes rising like a tide and crashing into shore, only to recede back into an ocean of yearning and tempt me all over again. I smelled it even now, felt it bubbling and fizzing. It was all I could do not to dive in, to grab her and have my way with her, in public no less.

"How long is this ride?" Rachel asked, her head leaning on my shoulder.

"I don't know," I replied huskily. "Maybe ten minutes?"

Rachel gave me her best innocent and forlorn expression. "Golly gee, Miss Tamwood. Whatever shall we do for ten minutes?"

"How about..." I let the last word hang as I glanced at the ceiling and tapped my chin as if thinking hard about our options. "Thumb wrestling?"

She grinned coquettishly. "Orrr some tongue wrestling."

I brightened at that. When it rains, it pours! The signals I longed for couldn't be any clearer now. Halleluiah!

Grinning, we leaned into each other slowly till our lips finally touched. I was thankful for the relative seclusion. At last we could finally kiss each other the way we'd obviously been wanting to throughout the night, languorously at first, till our tongues started battling for dominance.

I squeezed Rachel's waist and she moaned, the sound inflaming the passion I had long denied. Her arms wrapped tightly around my back. Her lips were so soft, and she tasted like sunshine and flowers freshly blooming in the spring. Her scent, which had been mixing with mine, was even stronger now. It made me quake inside, and the beast that rattled its cage purred in anticipation, biding its time till that moment it could pounce with abandon.

Soon, our positions were getting awkward, so I grabbed Rachel's waist and deposited her on my lap. The gondola teetered a little. She made a surprised but delighted sound, especially when she found herself straddling my legs.

"God, you're so hot." She beamed at me then swooped down to claim my lips once more with a fire that blazed through me.

"Mmph," I moaned into her mouth, thrilled at the feel of our breasts mashing together.

_Tiger, tiger, burning bright, _I thought deliriously. It would be a miracle if we ever made it out of here at this rate. Seriously, this was undoubtedly the best ride of the day. Although I would argue that the best ride ever was yet to come.

TBC

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><p>I had a lot of fun writing this chap. =] I bumped the rating to M for language and… well, you'll see. ;)<p>

Please do leave a review. It's very encouraging and sometimes quite insightful. Your thoughts are a gift I gladly welcome. So in return I'll leave you a treat to show my appreciation. =] (If you're anonymous, sadly, I'm unable to reply directly to you to leave something before the next chap.) Some reviews/reviewers inspire me to write a spontaneous little scene catered just for you.


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks again to y'all who faved/followed/reviewed. I'm glad you enjoyed the little blooper treat I left in your inbox. (If by chance I missed you by accident, sorry about that. PM and I'll send you one soon!) I'm sad because I wish I can give a treat to anonymous reviewers, too, but here are my personal thanks to you:

**Krymson** - Yeah, we need some more sugar with these two, huh? Of course Rachel would! ;) I hope I can leave a treat for you next time (if you end up with an acct; FFN made changes with the feedback system tho, so I'm not sure if I can reply to non-FFN inboxes).

**peanutty** – Mm-hmm, it was about time they went out on a date, huh? =D I love banter, too! *coughsexinscomingcough* XD Patience, my padawan. Yes, I hope you do so I can send you treats, too! =]

Special thanks to terpsichorean for being such a fabulous beta! And thanks at large _to all of you_ for continuing to read this story! *sniff*

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><p>Note: In case the Inderlander daynight cycle throws you off, here's the approximation I've been using (Cincinnati local time): Human (H) vs. Inderlander (I)

Comparative range:  
><strong>Wakey time:<strong> 6-8 AM (H) vs. 12 noon-2 PM (I)  
><strong>Lunch time:<strong> 12 noon (H) vs. 6 PM (I)  
><strong>Dinner time:<strong> 6-8 PM (H) vs. 12 midnight-2 AM (I)  
><strong>Bed time: <strong>10 PM-12 midnight (H) vs. 4-6 AM (I)

Side note (from Hollows Insider's species profiles):  
><strong>Pixyelf sleep from**: ~noon-4PM and 12 midnight-4 AM

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><p><strong>Pool Table For Two<strong>

by Athena, a.k.a. il0vesunfl0wers

_Part 6_

I turned the bike into our driveway at around 4 AM. I glanced at my mother's car as I parked right next to it in the carport. I could have driven the car for our date, but I took my bike instead, for a couple of reasons.

First and foremost, I simply wanted to feel Rachel's embrace again for a prolonged period of time. I wanted her to get used to touching me, and to us being physically close.

Secondly, with our scents mixing even more now, I didn't want to be in the confines of a car saturated with a blend of redwood and incense. Rachel had a knack for triggering my instincts without meaning to. Sitting in the car would have been like lounging in a small opium den. It would have been too potent to resist. I didn't want to tempt fate no matter how open Rachel was getting.

Yesterday morning was a dream come true. I finally had Rachel in my bed. Willingly. In fact, she was even in the mood for something more, and it took all of my willpower not to take advantage of the situation. I wanted her to feel safe next to me, to know that I respected her as much as I desired her. Dear God, how I wanted her. Her body, her blood, _everything._

I stowed our helmets away and locked the carport. Holding hands, we strolled quietly to the front of the church. I unlocked the front door, but instead of entering I turned back to her and we just gazed at each other for a while.

Rachel looked like she was wrestling with indecision about something, and suddenly I felt like we were living one of those magical date-movie moments. You know, the one where the couple stands right outside the front door, and they both wait anxiously to see what will happen next, namely, that First Kiss that will decide how things go between them. Then the heroine debates whether to play hard to get or go for the gold.

Was Rachel debating about whether or not to kiss me? I certainly wanted to kiss her again. God knew we'd been kissing a lot already. In fact, we'd gotten a little hot and heavy on the gondola. It was a miracle that we had even managed to pry ourselves off of each other once the gondola ride ended. The ride attendant had to clear his throat more than a few times to get our attention.

"Would you like to come in?" I finally said, breaking the silence. She blinked in surprise, and then laughed sheepishly. I opened the front door and ushered her in with my hand on the small of her back. She moved to take off her, well, _my _jacket really.

"Here, let me get that for you." I moved behind her, taking my time. I felt her shiver at the touch of my fingers on her neck as I slid the jacket off. My nostrils flared as I took a deep breath. My eyes rolled to the back of my head at our mingled scents.

_Intoxicating._

"Thank you," Rachel whispered as she turned to face me, eyes hooded.

"My pleasure," I breathed out.

"Your turn," she offered. She stepped closer and reached for the zipper. Her eyes tracked its descent, inch by inch. Her lips parted as she hooked her thumbs underneath the leather. I held my breath just as her chest heaved. I sighed in pleasure as it slid down my arms. She paused halfway. When she looked back up at me, her eyes were a smoky green, lit up like a forest fire. I'm pretty sure my pupils had also dilated. She pressed her lips together, bit her lower lip and gradually released it as she glanced back down to remove my jacket the rest of the way. She swallowed. "All done," she whispered, gazing back into my eyes.

"Thank you," I said, not taking my eyes off of hers as I retrieved my jacket. I stepped closer. Cupping her face, I leaned down and kissed her lips, massaging them with my own, worshipping them. She whimpered as her mouth opened and our tongues tangled. Her arms encircled my waist, squeezing me. I molded my body to hers, moaning deeply as warmth cascaded all over and pooled at my center, simmering. God, the taste of her... I could kiss her for hours and still want more. Pulling back, I smiled at her and caressed her rosy cheek with the back of my fingers.

I took her hand and gently led her down the sanctuary, slowing down as we approached the hallway leading to our bedrooms. Her heart was hammering, and I had to take deep breaths to calm my own. On the way there, I dropped off my leather jackets on the pool table. Then I caught a whiff of... guilt. It was slight, yet the atmosphere suddenly changed.

For once I didn't feel an ounce of guilt where Kisten was concerned. I had waited for this moment for too long. He would have understood, or even if not, tough luck. This woman had always been mine, and I would finally get to stake my claim on her _completely._

"Everything okay?" I asked when we reached the hallway. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Yeah. I'm just... I, um... I'm parched," Rachel said weakly. "Want something to drink?" She headed straight for the kitchen like her pants were on fire. Mine certainly were.

"Sure." A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I followed, which grew as I leaned against the doorframe and watched Rachel fuss about in the kitchen. Her agitation was really starting to get to me, but in a good way. Her scent was a hodgepodge of emotions, but I didn't smell any fear. It was probably just nerves. The witch had been radiating all kinds of emotions all night, mostly positive. She had been full of joy and exuberance, which gave me a high like no other. Her adrenaline rush fed my own excitement, and it was more exhilarating than the scariest roller coaster. Best of all, I felt as much as scented her desire. There was no doubt about it. It was quite a test of will for me not to jump Rachel at every opportunity, even now.

That I was now permitted to act on my feelings for her made it much easier to bear. I now hunted a willing prey, if albeit skittish all of a sudden. _No problem. It's all just part of foreplay. _Delayed gratification. Hopefully not for too long.

Rachel mumbled to herself as she rummaged through the cupboards and the fridge. "Coffee... water... orange juice... Oh hey, vodka. Ooh, and champagne. We could make a Screwdriver or maybe some Mimosa..."

"Champagne is meant for celebrating in style," I said with a smirk. "You don't want to put a dampener on it with O.J., do you?"

"Good point. Hmm..."

"I'll have whatever you're having," I drawled, shooting a heated glance before I disappeared from Rachel's field of vision. I grinned smugly when I heard a gasp in my wake.

"Um, Ivy, wait."

I poked my head back into the kitchen, where I found Rachel holding a bottle of champagne.

"Would you, uh, do the honors?" she asked, extending the bottle to me.

"Certainly." I sashayed over, my eyes never leaving hers. I took it slowly, our fingers brushing as my hand closed on the bottleneck. Rachel shivered at the touch. I finally glanced down at the champagne bottle. It was an expensive one, which I'd brought home from one of Rynn's shindigs. I took off the tin foil wrapper and popped the cork. Bubbles fizzed over the rim. "Why don't you put on some music while I pour?"

"Good idea. Shall we give 'Kisten's Super Love Mix' a try?"

I chuckled at that. "Sure, why not?"

I followed her to the living room, carrying two flutes for the bubbly. I set them down on the coffee table and began to pour.

"The Look of Love" by Diana Krall began to play, the piano, strings, and hushed tones of the drums setting the tone. Soon a husky female voice began to croon.

_The look of love is in your eyes,_

_A look your smile can't disguise._

My witch made her way around the coffee table. I stood and offered her a flute of champagne.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Mm-hmm. So, what shall we toast to?" I asked as I raised my glass along with her.

"To us." She grinned. "We've come a long way."

"Indeed we have," I replied, unable to hide the effect she and everything else was having on me. "To us."

_Be mine tonight, let this be just the start of so many nights like this,_

_Let's take a lover's vow and then seal it with a kiss._

Our glasses clinked. I took a long sip. The cool, refreshing draught smoothly trickled down my throat.

"Mmm, this is good stuff," she said.

"Yeah, Rynn has good taste."

Rachel tensed. Her brows wrinkled slightly. She stared into the flute, lips tight as she swished the bubbling liquid. "I guess."

I never quite figured out why it bothered her whenever I mentioned him, why she felt such contempt for the man. Rynn was far more respectable than Piscary and never treated me the way the old bastard did. He even helped me to get over some of my blood hang-ups. Was it just because he was another master vampire? Shrugging it off, I moved to sit down.

~~~~~~oOo~~~~~~

"Possession" by Sarah McLachlan came on next. It was the acoustic version, and I envisioned Ivy playing the piano. I loved this song, and how ironic that it came on just as I was remembering Jenks telling me that I wanted to play Evil Dentist on Cormell. Jeez, even the mention of his name... It was only champagne, so why was I getting so uptight? He had better damn well only given her a wine bottle and nothing else. Next time, if Rynn so much as flashed his pearly whites... Oh God, Jenks was right.

No wonder I got so pissy when Ivy had come home one night with her collar up, which led to one of our verbal jousts—more snippy than they had been in a while, so much that she'd ended up biting me. I had poked a hungry tiger with a sharp stick, a tiger that I had all but bared my neck to and pricked with said sharp stick. She had gone with Rynn that night after he had stopped by the church for a little meet and greet with the Wicked Witch of Cincinnati, probably wondering who would dare (or was stupid enough) to give the beautiful, seductive, and powerful Ivy Tamwood such blue balls. Meanwhile, I was insanely jealous because I had wanted us to have a blood balance, but she'd been blowing me off and going to him instead. Even though she'd told me that she was learning how to share blood without sex, had been at it with him for a couple of months in fact, it made my blood boil. I didn't want to think about how many trials and errors it took for her to gain a modicum of control, but that night she proved it to me. And it felt sooo good, so right...

_Listen as the wind blows from across the great divide,_

_Voices trapped in yearning, memories trapped in time,_

_The night is my companion, and solitude my guide,_

_Would I spend forever here and not be satisfied?_

Ivy made to move, so I sat down. To my surprise she walked to the other end of the couch. I watched her like a hawk as she sauntered, hips swaying, her movements somehow even more fluid and graceful. _How can she hypnotize me without doing much?_ Then she sat, no, _poured _herself onto the cushions. She draped her arm casually on the armrest, as if it was on its natural place. Brows raising, I watched as one corner of her mouth curved upward before she took another sip of champagne, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Ivy, what are you doing all the way over there?"

"I like it here." She traced lazy circles on the suede cushion next to her.

I knew she was vamping out, but she wasn't being predatory. _Oh, who am I kidding? _She'd been hunting me for years, sometimes domineering enough to make me back off, yet sometimes so passionate that it made me throw caution to the wind even when she had backed me into a corner. (Denial much?) But tonight she'd been so calm and self-assured, and—just like in San Francisco—so far no pheromones filled the air. She looked like a sated tigress simply lounging there, without a care in the world, and I was a wide-eyed gazelle that had stumbled into her lair, a hair's breadth from jumping into her mouth. Arms. I meant arms!

Her gaze seared into me, enough to get me hot yet... cuddly. I suddenly wanted to throw myself at her. _Why haven't I?_

I was at a loss. I kinda figured she was letting me set the pace and was probably waiting to see what I would do, what I wanted. How generous of her. If our positions were reversed I would have been all over her after we got past the front door. God, what was wrong with me? I was so gung-ho earlier. Early this morning, I had been so hot for her that I could have humped her leg while she slept. Hell, I could have ravished her on the gondola.

Out of the blue, Ivy reached down, unzipped her boots and removed her socks. I followed suit, my heart racing at the implication, but then she just leaned back on the armrest and crossed her legs. Oh. So. Slowly. Then she tilted her head and studied me, unnerving me.

_Into this night I wander, it's morning that I dread,_

_Another day of knowing of the path I fear to tread,_

_Oh, into the sea of waking dreams, I follow without pride,_

'_Cause nothing stands between us here, and I won't be denied._

I downed the rest of my champagne and set it on the coffee table. _God, I needed that. _As the bubbly settled deliciously down my throat, it seemed to wash away the jitters that rattled me since we got home. Where did they even come from? I was fine until... I lost my train of thought when I glanced back at Ivy, or rather, at her staring at whatever had caught her attention across the room. Before I could find out what it was, her gaze shifted. She looked thoughtful as she examined the drink in her hand, balanced on her knee. Eyes still hooded, her head began to lift in a diagonal, upward motion, paused, and then suddenly her eyes flicked right up and smoldered as they bore into mine.

_Holy heart failure, Batman!_

I felt like I had just been hit by a Mack truck with a devilish, drop-dead-gorgeous vamp behind the wheel. Christ almighty...

Still holding my gaze, Ivy took another delicate sip of champagne. My eyes darted to her lips the moment her tongue peeked out and swept across till her lips were glistening. Moist. Like my panties.

_Hot. Daaaaaamn._

"More." The word came out so softly, you'd think she hadn't heard it, but I knew she had. My throat had gone dry—it made the Sahara look like a freakin' waterpark. I swallowed thickly. "I mean, more champagne?"

"Sure."

I scooted closer to the stunning woman before me and took her glass. Our fingers brushed and I felt like I had touched a live wire. I took the bottle and poured us both more bubbly. I certainly could use another round. Offering the flute to her, we clinked glasses once again, gazing at each other in silence as we both sipped. Well, _she_ sipped, the way they taught little socialites how to drink in vampire charm school, I was sure. _I_ guzzled like a damn magician. _Now you see it, now you don't! _Gasping, unable to speak, I grabbed the bottle and simply offered it.

"I'm fine, thanks," she said with a ghost of a smile as she showed me that her glass was half full.

So I went ahead and poured myself another generous helping, but this time I only drained a third of it with a bit more class (at least I tried to). When I looked back at Ivy, I found her toying with the flute stem between her thumb and forefinger, tracing the length of it up... and down. On its trek back up, her forefinger made a solitary journey up the curve of the narrow glass, then proceeded to trace the rim, which made a high-pitched ringing sound. I sat there entranced, breathless... then suddenly my pelvic muscles clenched. Flushing, my thighs clamped together so hard I could have bruised them. Ivy's nostrils flared and her eyes closed in rapture.

_Good lord, this woman will be the death of me!_

It was then that she drank the rest of her champagne, which I mirrored. Her eyes had mostly been a warm, steady brown all this time, her irises shining like whiskey. Her pupils finally began to dilate, but other than searing me with another molten gaze and resting her arm across the back of the couch, she made no other move. Thankfully another soulful piano tune began, "The Nearness of You" by Norah Jones, which distracted me from my embarrassment.

_It's not the pale moon that excites me,_

_That thrills and delights me, oh no,_

_It's just the nearness of you._

Galvanized by the song and three helpings of expensive liquid courage, I grabbed her empty glass and set it down on the coffee table next to mine. When I turned back, her brow was slightly raised, but I just beamed at her and took her hand. I had never really been good with words, and I was dying for some action, so I figured I would do what I did best: _Go with the flow and the motion of the ocean, baby._

"Dance with me?" I asked.

Ivy nodded and let me pull her up towards the fireplace, where there was more room to move. I wrapped my arms around Ivy's neck, the space between us diminishing just as her arms slinked around my waist. _Amazing. _We fit together so perfectly, but instead of hard planes, I was met with softness, like landing on puffy, white clouds. I leaned my head against hers and started to sway with her.

_When you're in my arms and I feel you so close to me,_

_All my wildest dreams came true._

We said nothing for a while and just enjoyed each other, moving as one. Everything else faded away. I closed my eyes and sighed happily.

"Thank you for taking me out, Ivy," I whispered against her cheek. "I love spending time with you."

"My pleasure," she breathed against my ear, sending shivers down my spine, melting me.

I leaned back to gaze deeply into warm, brown eyes, nearly engulfed in black. They used to scare me, but now they couldn't be more beautiful. I finally understood that they darkened out of passion for me. Whether I ticked her off or scared the bejeezus out of her, somehow I also managed to turn her on and she had never been able to hide it, no matter how much she tried. "I don't want this morning to end."

"Don't worry. It's only just beginning."

A sexy tune came on: "Please Send Me Someone to Love" by Sade. When I listened to Sade I often thought of Ivy. The woman sounded so damn sultry, her voice smoky and soulful.

_Heaven please send to all mankind_

_Understanding and peace of mind,_

_But if it's not asking too much,_

_Please send me someone to love._

I had always loved this song because it wasn't just about one person looking for love. It was also about peace and compassion for all. It was not only justice that I strived for, and I may be foolish to seek what seemed like the impossible, surrounded as we all were by conflicts and hardships, by a world filled with selfish people demanding to be loved, when love was supposed to be selfless. Selfless people deserved to be loved, too, perhaps above all.

_And Ivy is the most selfless person I know._

She was the best that the universe had to offer. She loved me so completely, in ways I couldn't fathom. I still didn't feel that I deserved her, yet here she was. How did I get so lucky? Maybe the universe wasn't always out to get me after all.

I constantly risked my life and safety, often without thinking, but I did what I had to do to save lives. Even if she disagreed with my methods, she knew my motives and understood them better than anyone else.

_She would probably even sell her soul to save me, when really it's her soul that's worth saving._

"Everything's perfect." I clasped her tighter to me, so overcome by her devotion that I almost cried. A sudden thought occurred to me, so I leaned back and asked, "Did you plan all this?" She said nothing, and it made me smirk. "You did, didn't you?"

"Maybe a little."

I gave her a look. I would arch one brow at her if I could.

"Okay, a lot. I couldn't sleep last morning when we were on the couch. You looked so peaceful, asleep in my arms and..." She added bashfully, "I wanted to do something special for you."

"How thoughtful and sweet of you. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll do anything to make you happy, Rachel."

Her eyes said as much. Ivy would risk everything for me, even if it cost her her own life. She had done it before, time and time again, and the thing was, I did, too, only I was rather stupid about it. I had gone toe to toe with Piscary for her sake and nearly died both times. I thought I had lost her that second time, and I had almost damned my soul in my grief when I had taken the spirit of the Focus inside me because, without her, I had nothing left to lose.

I almost choked inside, but I didn't want any tears, not even happy ones.

"So did you make a mental checklist and come up with an itinerary?"

Ivy laughed even as her cheeks pinked. Gosh, she was so adorable. "I figured that if you said yes to a date, then I would at least have a plan."

"But of course you would." I smiled wryly. I knew her so well. "So... did you plan this part, too?"

"And what would 'this part' be?" Ivy replied coyly.

It was my turn to blush. "After our date... This... Now."

"Hmm. Well, I thought I'd take a page from your book for once."

My brows raised. "Which page is that?"

"The one about playing things by ear."

"Oh my." I gasped dramatically. "The Great Ivy Tamwood _improvising?"_

Her mouth quirked. "It's been known to happen."

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think you _always _have a plan, from A to Z."

She pouted. "Not always."

She was so cute when she was defensive. I had made fun of her enough times, but this time I was serious. "But most of the time you do. I think you like to have contingency plans up the wazoo so you always have options."

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Besides taking the fun out of everything?" Ivy responded with a glare, and I yelped when she pinched me, but I just grinned at her. "Nothing. It makes you you. And I think it makes us similar." Her head slanted in confusion, so I clarified, "I look at things in terms of options, too, but unlike me, you think of things in advance and map them out on color-coded post-it notes."

"And you don't think, period."

I whacked her shoulder. "I think on the fly, silly."

"That's not thinking. That's acting on impulse."

"Not always!" My chin raised of its own accord. "I act on instinct. Intuition. I do things in the moment. You can't plan for the unexpected."

"How zen of you." Ivy smiled, looking thoughtful. "Okay, I'll give you that."

We'd had this conversation many times before, except this time we weren't at each other's throats. We were calm enough to acknowledge the other. While it was good to plan things out, often times—especially where I was concerned—things did not always go according to plan. Plans got thrown out the window when there was no time to regroup and strategize.

"Well, maybe you're right," Ivy admitted, "but my only plan right now is a simple one."

"Which is?"

"Sit back and wait."

I studied her as we continued to slow dance. I could plainly see the love and desire in Ivy's eyes, felt them in the way she held me, squeezed me. Perhaps I'd made her wait long enough.

"What about you?" Ivy murmured. "What is your intuition telling you now?"

As if on cue, "At Last" by Etta James breezed in with a timeless melody. As the strings swelled with passion, my own ignited. Ivy had been kindling the flames for hours till they smoldered, sizzled. Sparks crackled, shimmering, reflected in her eyes. _Someone call the fire department_. Or maybe I should let myself burn. _I do so love playing with fire. _But this was no simple matter of slaking the fires of lust. Her eyes promised so much. Her caresses made me ache in ways I never imagined.

_At last, my love has come along,_

_My lonely days are over,_

_And life is like a song._

"This," I breathed out, trembling, and leaned in to capture Ivy's luscious lips. "I want this." She purred deeply as our lips met.

Electric.

Whenever we touched, whenever we kissed.

Sublime.

I couldn't get enough of her taste. Her softness. Her heat. The sound of her desire was so raw, it made my body want to sing, to echo with my own mounting passion for her. I needed to get closer. Skin against skin. I couldn't bear it. I wanted it all. Everything I was missing. Right here. Right now.

_I need you._

The words never left my lips, but I hoped her body listened. I needed her like I needed air. Her kisses were like water in a desert that I had been roaming for years, stumbling in the sand, searching for an oasis, never knowing that there was something even more sweltering that waited for me.

I had never known true thirst till Ivy kissed me, and soon my body will know true hunger...

We parted, both gasping for much needed air.

"Is that all?" Ivy rasped, eyes hooded. She looked as dazed as I felt. Irresistible.

"That was pretty much it," I teased, chuckling. "Were you hoping for more?"

"Maybe," she drawled.

"Well, you _have _been quite a good little vampire."

"Uh-huuuuh. Which means I deserve a little extra, don't you think?"

"Hmmm. I guess you earned it."

I leaned in for another kiss and Ivy swooped down eagerly to meet me. All the breath in my body seemed to leave me, yet I felt so _alive_. I had never felt so loved. Heaven help me, it was only the beginning. I had yet to taste it all—everything she had to offer.

Ivy's hands stroked my sides. Up and down. Her fingers danced at the hem of my shirt. I moaned in approval, mussing her hair as I pressed my body to hers till there was no space left between us. Her fingers crawled underneath, splayed on the small of my back, massaged my flesh, moving higher and higher still. Her thumbs grazed the sides of my breasts. I gasped, groaned, but Ivy did nothing more. I kissed her madly, sucking on her tongue till finally her fingers wrapped around my meager breasts and caressed the lace above my skin. I quivered. My nipples tightened; they echoed the aching in my core, and I longed for her mouth to soothe them, to lavish them with tenderness... with pleasure beyond compare. Oh God, her mouth. My fingers fisted, gripping her hair, raking along her scalp. Her breath hissed through gritted teeth, and I flushed with heat at the sight of her fangs. She growled, then grabbed my waist and kissed me harder.

Gasping, we parted, foreheads pressed against one another. I couldn't breathe.

_"Rachel."_

"Yes?"

The word barely made a sound, but she heard it, for her eyes darkened further, if that was even possible. She caressed my lips with her thumb, her breaths shallow. Her hands were shaking as her fingers caressed my cheeks, my jaw. Her other hand threaded through my hair, clenching and unclenching.

"I want you," she rasped against my lips, then kissed me again with such tender longing that I felt it all the way to my bones. "Want you." Kiss. _"I want you."_

This was it, the moment of truth.

TBC

* * *

><p><em>At last, the skies above are blue,<em>

_My heart was wrapped up in clover_

_The night I looked at you._

_I found a dream that I could speak to,_

_A dream that I can call my own,_

_I found a thrill to press my cheek to,_

_A thrill that I have never known._

_You smiled, oh and then the spell was cast,_

_And here we are in heaven,_

_For you are mine..._ _at last!_

* * *

><p>AN: Chapter Six unfortunately ain't Chapter Sex. Seven is a good number, yeah, so let's go with Chapter Sexin, er, Seven. XD Urg, I don't mean to tease, but this chap kept getting longer and longer, and it's still not done (a.k.a. Rachel and Ivy are like bunnies and don't want to stop. Eat your heart out, Energizer Bunny!) So I broke off the next part so they, er, I mean _I _can do it right. X]

If you're curious about the rest of the songs on Kisten's Super Love Mix, let me know when you review and I'll leave it on your inbox as a treat. Unless you prefer more bloopers. Or both. ;) Thanks y'all! Love and peace out! =D


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for continuing to read this story, for all the reviews/follows/faves. For reviewers (w/accounts I could reply to), I hope you received and enjoyed the treat in your inbox as a token of appreciation. If I missed anyone, please let me know.

Sorry to have kept y'all waiting. I didn't expect to take this long to update, but alas, life's twists and turns and interruptions... Anyway, to make it up to y'all, here's the longest chapter yet! (No beta this time. I may have gone cross-eyed from looking this over and over myself, so pardon any goofs.)

_A quick recap of prior events:_

Rachel and Ivy finally went on their First Date. Ivy white-wined and dined Rachel at a fabulous restaurant and took her for a stroll in the gardens, and sealed the romantic evening with a kiss. They rode roller coasters, made out some more, then went back home and... well, hopefully that jogged your memory. ;)

* * *

><p><strong>Pool Table For Two<strong>

by Athena, a.k.a. il0vesunfl0wers

Previously...

"_Rachel."_

"Yes?"

The word barely made a sound, but Ivy heard it, for her eyes darkened further, if that was even possible. She caressed my lips with her thumb, her breaths shallow. Her hands were shaking as her fingers caressed my cheeks, my jaw. Her other hand threaded through my hair, clenching and unclenching.

"I want you," Ivy rasped against my lips, then kissed me again with such tender longing that I felt it all the way to my bones. "Want you." Kiss. "_I want you._"

This was it, the moment of truth.

* * *

><p><em>Part 7<em>

Feeling light headed, I leaned against Ivy's temple and sighed. Three words and I felt lost. Lost in a haze of lust. But I knew that those three words meant more to Ivy than simply to satiate lust. From the very start, she held herself back from satisfying her desires for fear of being spurned. I held myself back because I did not feel deserving of such devotion, and I was afraid that I would not be worth it. She deserved better, deserved so much more than I could give.

And now...

I could not imagine my life without her. Now that I've had a taste of what I had been missing, for the life of me, how could I say no? No, this was not just about lust. I knew now, more than ever, that what she wanted was to know that I wanted her, too. Oh yes, I wanted all of her—mind, body and soul.

I took a couple of deep, calming breaths and closed my eyes. For the first time—the best time—my heart and mind were in sync. Slowly, I nodded once, twice. I couldn't speak, but I had to try. Ivy had waited long enough.

"Yes." It was a sound that barely spilled from my lips, but I knew that she heard it, that one word, just one syllable, for her arms slowly coiled around me, her willing prey. "Touch me," I breathed in her ear. There was no turning back. At long last, I surrendered to my own desire. _Let it burn._ "Take me, Ivy."

Her hands gripped the flesh of my back as she shuddered against my body. Her head nestled against my shoulder, and after a moment I heard her take a deep breath. Her hands gentled as a long exhalation escaped her lips. I barely heard her whisper, "Thank you."

I sighed, melting into her embrace as she held me for a moment longer. Her cheek brushed mine, nuzzling me like a big cat. A cat oozing with sensuality, tempered by sweet affection. It made me feel all gooey inside. And, um, outside. Down south, in fact. I couldn't believe just how horny I was feeling again for this woman. Good lord...

Ivy rocked into motion. She kissed my cheek, my temple, and planted random, lingering kisses along my face as she led me backwards. I felt like my lips were playing cat and mouse with hers. Dammit, I wanted mouth-to-mouth! We bumped against the couch just as my lips finally claimed hers. Before I could topple backwards, with vamp speed, she reversed our positions, so I ended up straddling her on the couch. I gasped at the sudden impact, mainly because I landed into a whole load of softness. Her boobs were like airbags, sexy and proud, and on my way down my hands had gone straight for them by... accident? Oh, who was I kidding? My face wouldn't have minded plowing into them!

Finally, I managed to tear my eyes away and looked up. I felt my entire face heat up when I saw her smirking. Her eyes drifted to where my hands still were, then back up into my eyes. Her brow raised, eyes glinting with mischief.

"Nice landing there, captain," she quipped, then she hauled me up and our mouths crashed. Glorious breasts momentarily forgotten, my arms wrapped around her neck. Our tongues tangled with mounting urgency. I felt heady, tingling all over, suddenly drunk with power on top of her like this, wanting to touch her everywhere I could reach. Ivy groaned into my mouth. Her hands traveled down my back and over my rear. I moaned as she squeezed me, and I ground myself against her. At this rate, the way we were kissing and pawing at each other, we'd never make it to bed, which I hoped was where we were headed. _Like, any minute now. _I'd have yelled if I weren't so busy sucking on her tongue. For our first time, I wanted her naked and panting in the comfort of a nice, big bed. I didn't care whose as long as we got to roll around on it. _On second thought, her bed _is_ bigger. Size does matter._

As if she heard my libidinous thoughts, Ivy cradled my rear and stood in one fluid motion. My arms and legs wrapped around her in delight. A fabulous multitasker, Ivy thrilled me with every kiss as she padded towards the hallway that led to our bedrooms.

"Umph!" My back collided against a hard surface.

"Sorry," she mumbled against my lips.

I was dazed with want, yet somehow I managed to feel her fumbling till she found the doorjamb and squeezed it open. Then she swept me up in her arms bridal style, just like she had yesterday, and just like then, my heart fluttered. I flashed a lopsided grin at her. "I love it when you do that."

"I noticed."

I clutched her shoulder. The look she gave me sent a rush of heat flooding down my chest. I suddenly wanted to do naughty, kinky, sinful things to little Miss Vampy Spice, like rip her top off, tie her up, nibble on the scars on her neck and clamp my teeth down till her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Oh yes.

It was dark, but I could tell that we were now in her bedroom, thank God. I had left my room in shambles earlier in my attempts to make myself look pretty for her, so her room was obviously the better choice. It even smelled like Ivy, a scent I found more and more arousing.

Ivy set me down smoothly on her bed, which still smelled of ash mixed with redwood from this morning. I latched onto her. I didn't want to be parted from her, not when things were getting hot and heavy. I wanted to meld with her, and then it occurred to me... celebrating our union (finally!) would be best if done in our birthday suits. Duh! With a Cheshire grin, I rolled on top of Miss Tall-Dark-and-Drop-Dead-Gorgeous.

"Like it on top, don't you?" She smiled. So sexy.

"Uh-huh. There's a nice view." I winked at her, then let my eyes roam down her body. "I bet it gets _much_ nicer than this."

"Yeah? Like how?"

"Well, for starters, you can take off your clothes."

"Or I can take yours off first."

"If you insist. Either way works for me."

Chuckling, Ivy pushed up into a sitting position, so I found myself straddling her once more. I guess I really did like being on top. The way she looked at me and growled, I thought she'd be ripping my shirt off at any second. Instead, her hands crawled underneath and squeezed my burning flesh, traveling north like a tourist seeking the best adult entertainment in town. The hem of my shirt bunched and rode up, but her eyes never left mine. I groaned when her hands cupped my bra-clad breasts. My nipples tightened painfully as she gently massaged my breasts, then resumed her mission. I raised my arms eagerly so she could finally remove my damned blouse. Once free, Ivy went completely still as she studied my chest.

"Rachellllll," she purred, deep and throaty.

Oh my. My name had never sounded so racy! I was suddenly grateful to be wearing the frilliest pair of lingerie I owned—cream colored with tiers of ruffles, which I thought added dimension to my rather modestly sized breasts. The strapless bra had padded cups, adding a nice little boost so I could actually have a bit of cleavage. It even had a dainty little red bow at the front clasp. If it could talk, it would scream, "Happy Sexytime! Now open me!"

"Mmm, sassy. Very you." Ivy's throat rumbled in appreciation. She traced the layers and edges with her fingertips, licking her lips, making me throb, and I hissed when her fingertips traced a path up where a strap would have been, where she caressed my collarbone and bare shoulder. I shivered with anticipation at the hunger clearly painted on her face. Still, Ivy just kept staring, even as I silently willed her hands to resume groping me, or start stripping me. Or both. Hey, I'm not picky. Still, nothing. I sighed. It was time to take matters into my own hands. I slipped them under Ivy's top, and just as I was about to scope out _her_ lingerie, Ivy suddenly grabbed my wrists.

"Ivy?"

"I..." Her mouth opened and closed time and again. Her head lowered as body seemed to deflate, and her hands relaxed on my wrists. "It's just..."

I gently tilted her chin up. She resisted at first, but I managed to get her to look at me. Her brows were twitching a bit as if fighting a frown. Darkened eyes welled up, and rings of brown gradually returned to her pupils. _Awww, crap._

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I..." Ivy drew a deep breath and mumbled, "Are you... this... I..." She swallowed hard. "Do you really want this?"

I sat there, dumbfounded, blinking and staring at her. Hey, my hormones were going 90 miles per hour and suddenly had to screech to a halt, so sue me! "Wha... What?"

She cradled my face in her hands and caressed my cheeks with her thumbs. "I just..." She swallowed, voice trembling. "I need you to be sure. I _need_ to know that this isn't the champagne—"

"Ivy." I leaned towards her. My hands roamed up her torso and gripped her top. "I couldn't be more _sure_ about this." I took her hand and placed it over my heart. "Do you feel that?" I murmured, "That's all because of you."

Her eyelids fluttered closed as she took a shuddering breath. A single tear made its way down her cheek. My heart filled with such tenderness. I cupped her cheek and pressed my lips softly, kissing the tear away.

"Besides..." Looking deeply into her eyes, still clutching her hand, I let it descend till she cupped me between my legs. "That's because of you, too," I whispered. I was drenched, and judging from the groan that followed, I was pretty sure she could feel more than just the heat from the furnace between my thighs. "I want you, Ivy. And not because I'm smashed. _I._ Want. _You,_" I decreed with lingering kisses. "Naked." Kiss. "Sweaty." Kiss. "Did I say naked?"

Her face brightened, and I couldn't help but mirror her happiness. "You're so beautiful," Ivy whispered fervently. She took another deep breath. "I... want to savor every minute of this. With you."

I felt flushed. Exposed. _And she hasn't even taken off all my damned clothes! _Who knew that lust could mix with such fondness like this? Why did she have to be such a sweetheart when really she ought to be getting me all nekkid and screwing me like I've never been screwed before? I felt like grabbing her shoulders, shaking her and screaming, _Someone needs a fucking crash course in Lesbian Sex 101 right now, hellooo!_ But then... in the haze, it dawned on me that her hesitation was making me doubt myself. I wondered if she felt even an ounce of the nervousness I was feeling, which had started to creep in the longer I sat and waited.

"You do realize," I said, my mouth slanting into a lopsided smile, "that lack of action means I have more time to think. You know how that goes." Ivy barked a laugh. "And if you don't do something about it real soon, so help me, I'm going stake you. Got that?"

Her eyes smoldered as her pupils expanded. Her irises were now completely black like coals with glowing embers, igniting my skin as they roamed over my body and drank me in. "Don't worry, dear heart. You'll be getting plenty of action, I promise you."

_Ohhhh yeahhhh._ Vulnerable Ivy went bye bye. Exit stage left. Vampy Spice returned to stay. (Hmm, would I be Witchy Spice or Horny Spice?) Her words and silken voice alone could make what clothes I had left burn up like parchment, but instead of being scorched, my body sizzled.

I stared at luscious lips and willed them to come closer. Woot, it worked! She leaned in and took hold of my hips, while my arms snaked around her neck. Her arms enveloped me, and I moaned when Ivy's lips finally brushed against mine. _So soft. _Our tongues tangled. My body quivered in her arms. Heat shot straight down to my loins and flared. Hot damn. Let there be more tangling ASAP!

"Ohhh, Rachel," Ivy rasped, pulling back slightly. "You're driving me crazy."

"Me? _You're_ driving _me_ crazy!"

"Good. I'm going to rock your world, trust me."

"You're all talk, Tamwood." My brows raised in challenge. "Prove it."

Her lips latched onto the crook of my neck and I hissed. She lit a trail of fire down the column of my throat, dipped her tongue into the hollow. In the back of my mind, I barely—if at all—detected a blast of pheromones, which tended to flood my senses whenever she would stimulate my scars, but this was all Ivy. Well, and hormones from this witch in heat, duh, now raging more than ever. I had always found her erotic and alluring, and now I couldn't refuse her even if I tried. Why would I when I'd rather succumb to her charms? Carnal. White hot. _Fuck yeah, bring it on! _

Her hands caressed me from my neck to my bare shoulders, then traveled down to cup my frill-covered breasts, eliciting a whimper as she squeezed them delicately. She rained butterfly kisses on the tops of my breasts and along the edge of my bra as it curved diagonally toward the front clasp. Ivy took her time tracing my skin with her tongue, starting first with one breast. She dipped her tongue down the valley and up the other slope. Then she pulled the edge of one bra cup down with her teeth to reveal an aching nipple, which puckered further as her teeth brushed against it.

"Ah!"

She smiled wickedly as she flicked it once, twice, then the flat of her tongue lapped my granite-hard nipple in lazy strokes. "Mmm, tasty."

"Fuuuuuck, that feels good!"

I felt her smile against my breast as she licked her way slowly towards the clasp. Her teeth unclasped my strapless bra, and I arched eagerly as it fell off to free my breasts. Ivy took a moment to survey her prize. "Gorgeous."

I was pretty sure that mine couldn't compare to what was undoubtedly a magnificent pair in front of me, but I lost my train of thought when Ivy's hands touched my naked breasts for the first time. Whimpering, I squeezed her shoulders, desperately wanting her mouth on two particular points of interest. I didn't care where she started the tour as long as she got there.

Ivy kissed a burning path along my flesh. Her tongue darted on my nipple and traced the areola. Bullseye! She wrapped her mouth around it, purring, and I groaned as she nibbled lightly, licking and kissing it to the sound of my mewls.

"Ohhh!" My head fell back. My skin never felt so alive, glorying in the heat of Ivy's lips and tongue. The woman was an artist, the way her tongue flicked and swept in circles like brush strokes, swishing and swirling around my nipples and all over my flesh. Then finally one nipple disappeared entirely into Ivy's hot, wet mouth, molding it even as her tongue flicked from within and suckled. "Ivyyyy... so good!" In fact, she was better than anyone at this. Guys never spent this much time on my girls, as if they were some part of a pre-flight checklist they needed to tweak until all systems were go. Ivy _made love_ to my breasts. She savored, not just sampled them. My back arched to offer more of myself to her, and I wrapped my arms around her neck. "Yesss!"

Ivy took me in deeper, sucking wildly now, her hands molding the flesh of my back to bring me even closer. She released my nipple, but her lips lingered on the tingling, swollen bud. "You taste heavenly." Then she lapped it up and suckled in between words. "I love... doing this to you... I've dreamed... of doing just this..." I think I saw stars. "Of making you writhe... desperate for more."

I groaned, the sound wrenched from my throat. I clutched her head to me, writhing indeed as she nipped and licked and sucked, delirious and hungry for the promise of more.

She pulled on my pebbled flesh and released it with a pop. She glanced up, eyes hooded and smoky, her pupils impossibly dark. With one last lick, she headed for my other breast, taking her time as she blazed a path toward the valley, nuzzled her face against it, ran her tongue thickly across, then commenced kissing and licking the perimeter. "Mmm, this one's more sensitive," Ivy remarked when she found my other nipple, pleased to hear my sharp intake of breath. I could feel her grinning against my flesh. I whimpered when Ivy blew warm breath against it.

"Ohhh, God. Ivyyyy!" I moaned, losing my breath, my mind. She dragged her tongue along, flat and thick, moist and hot, and lavished my nipple with plenty of love. "Ahhh!"

"Delicious!" Ivy suckled. Her purring, slurping sounds shot lightning bolts to my loins. How I ached for her! I felt my juices flow, soaking my panties as I ground against her. Her tongue swirled round and round till it finally closed in again. Dear God, her mouth was like an inferno as it engulfed me. Her tongue flicked my nipple once, twice, laved it up and down, and swirled around the areola with agonizing slowness. I trembled as she suckled again, and I moaned in sync with her.

_Total mind destruction in T minus sex seconds, guhhhh!_

As much as I loved her attentions, I needed to feel her bare skin. Grasping the hem of her blouse, I tried to telegraph my desire, but Ivy wouldn't budge, content in her sweet torment of my person. I struggled to push up her blouse till finally I managed to slip it off her head and arms. I flung it off in triumph, not caring where it landed. I gazed in awe at the sight of her bra-clad breasts, the tops teasing my hungry eyes. I knew it! They looked absolutely divine. My mouth watered as I cupped them gently. Exquisite! Low-cut, satin and lace, utterly sexy, and as much as I loved her bra, it was in my way. Screw breast-envy. I'd rather screw Ivy!

"My, aren't we in a rush?" she chuckled, deep and husky, grasping my wrists that were heading eagerly for the clasp on her back.

"You. Naked. Nowwww!"

"I don't think so." She flashed a toothy smile at me. I felt like I would faint if not for the jolt of lust that had me gasping again as her mouth descended on the breast she'd been tending. "I like this spot just fine. Mmmmm."

"Oh, God."

"Ivy will do, thank you."

I barked a laugh, then whimpered when she licked me again. "You really like my boobs, huh?"

"Mm-hmm. What's not to like?" she mumbled against the bud and swiped her lips across it.

"I'm glad." I shivered. "Since there ain't much."

"I luv'm. R' pfffect."

I snorted. "Flattery will get you nowhere when you haven't even gotten into my pants yet."

Her mouth vibrated as she chuckled against my breast and I moaned as she suckled. "Well, if you insist..."

Jesus H. Christ! This woman...

Her hands crawled in what little space was left between our bodies. So I scooted back eagerly. Expert fingers unbuckled my belt and soon enough, she popped the button free. I sighed, silently thanking every deity in existence, then shrieked as I tumbled backwards on the bed.

She grinned wickedly above me, then kissed me. Hard. But not for long. She kissed my jaw, suckled my earlobe. My eyes rolled back and I bared my neck for her to plunder. She kissed and licked her way down the side without scars, suckled the skin there, and raked her fangs gently along my shoulder.

"Ahh!" My neck and back bowed in pleasure.

She didn't stop, thank the gods, till she arrived once more at two hot buttons I was ever so grateful to have. She suckled my nipples almost savagely this time, and I cried out. Her fangs grazed lightly. I screamed in delight.

Warm air puffed against me. Her eyes twinkled as she glanced at me. "Such a screamer. I love it."

"Ivy, if you don't take off my pa—"

At once the zipper slid down with a harsh sound. "What, this?" I really shouldn't have worried. Ivy tugged my jeans down my thighs and squeezed my ass, raking her nails up to the small of my back. I hissed as my back arched.

"Ohhh, yes!" But then she stopped. My head rose with a mixture of surprise and disappointment. And annoyance. "Hey!"

She bit her lip, fangs and eyes glinting. _Evil bitch!_ Then she kissed the underside of my breasts, roaming down, down. My pants followed suit, so I forgave her. My head collapsed on the pillow with a loud poof. At last the denim was at my ankles, but it was so tight that we ended up doing an uncoordinated wiggle-dance just to get them off.

"Woman, you need stretchy jeans."

I glared at her. "Less talk. More naked."

"So demanding!"

"I'm the dominant, remember? Get used to it."

Ivy's brows shot up, practically touching her hairline. Ah, crap. I shouldn't have said that. Who knew what mischief now lurked behind that dangerous glint in her eyes? Hoping that she wouldn't make me pay for my insolence, I asked, "Well? What are you waiting for?" Fuck, I'd meant to ask enticingly, but I was dying for her and I wanted us to be insta-naked nowwww! Or maybe I just wanted to back up my claim and hoped that she'd actually act submissive, or possibly just piss her off that she'd retaliate by ripping everything else off. Ah hell, I wouldn't know. I said and did things without thinking, remember?

Her eyes narrowed and darted down to my panties. She hooked her thumb on her bra strap, stretching it juuuust a bit. Wench. "You, of course."

"Huh?" Stupendous come back, I know.

"I can't be the only one doing all the work, hmm?"

"All you had to do was ask."

"You. Naked. Nowww," Ivy mocked. She scooted down the edge of the bed and stood, hands on hips.

Laughing, I sat up and crawled towards her, slowing down at the last minute for maximum effect. Eagerly I reached for her belt, unfastened it, then slid it off the belt hoops. She yelped when I cracked it like a whip. Hee. I bit my lip as I eagerly popped the first button on top.

"Jeez, how many of these are there?" I whined.

"Less talk. More naked."

I rolled my eyes at her. Well alright, despite my impatience, buttons were a lot sexier than zippers. "Aha!" Triumphantly, I yanked her jeans down, which went down a lot smoother since (surprise, surprise) it was stretchy. She was the smart one, obviously.

I held my breath as I stared at her. Ivy wore a pair of crimson and black, satin and lace panties, and she wore it oh so well. She could have been wearing a fig leaf for all I cared, but hot damn, the woman had great taste in underwear. It was true, what they said, that a woman's power stemmed from the bra and panties she wore underneath. This woman had a _lot_ of power. Ivy _oozed_ sex appeal, and I had to admit that I'd been dying to find out what she wore underneath this entire time.

I had never seen another woman so intimately like this. Sure, gorgeous, scantily clad eye candies abound on TV, magazines, and billboards, but none of them could possibly compare to this woman. I suddenly wanted to conjure up a runway just so she could model for me, but then that would mean she'd have to walk away. Oh, hellllll no. I needed to touch!

_Note to self: Get Ivy to model her lingerie collection for me later. Oh, and learn how to conjure sexy stuff like runways._

_I'm_ the witch-slash-demon, but _she_ had me wrapped under her spell, which was probably tucked away somewhere inside those super sexy panties. But as much as I admired her lingerie, her shapely legs and other God given gifts, I wasn't done with my mission, dammit. So I reached for her bra, but she practically shoved me down on the bed!

"Ah-ah-ah!" Ivy wagged her finger at me. My jaw dropped as she crossed her arms to conceal her boobies, damn her. "No peeking."

"Why not?" I whined.

"We need a little suspense, a little mystery."

"No, we don't." I sat up, er, I tried to, but she pushed me down again, this time not so roughly.

"Yes, we do." She smirked. "I thought you lived for excitement?"

"Welllll... that's true. I want to get on this _really_ awesome ride with you. Like, right now." Ivy laughed. "Hey, this ain't funny. I'm serious." I leaned back on my elbows, my eyes feasting on her body, and believe me, it wasn't merely for the sake of aesthetic appreciation. This woman ain't no statue, but she was certainly a priceless work of art and definitely needed to get naked real soon so I could fully appreciate her, um, aesthetics. Yeah. I stared at her bountiful breasts framed by lace and satin. "You don't like to be strapped. I'm just be trying to be helpful here."

She shook her head, rolling her eyes. "All right, then sit back and relax."

Beaming, I did as told, my hands settling on either side of me, back ramrod straight as I waited for my prize at the edge of the bed. Ivy bent down, spread my legs, and winked at me. _Ohhh yeahhh. I do live for excitement. _She was right all along. But then she turned around. Gah!

Ivy began to swing her hips to a song that only she could hear. I imagined it was Paula Cole's "Feelin' Love". Very fitting, and I could just hear Paula moaning out, "You make me feeeeel like the Amazon's running between my thiiighs." Exactly. Like a river, or maybe a waterfall, sheesh. Or maybe she was swaying to Madonna's "Justify My Love". As in, Ivy had better justify why the hell it was taking so damn long to get some hot lovin', goddammit.

Although... it looked like Ivy wanted to express her reasons via a strip show... Oh, alrighty then. No arguments here, no sir! The way her hips were swaying, Ivy might as well have been holding a watch dangling from a chain and swinging it like a pendulum. She could make me do any damn thing right now if she told me to, like dance like a chicken or bark like a dog, tail wagging furiously like a bitch in heat.

Her hips undulated in circular motions. Her fingers splayed over her thighs, spreading outward as she dipped to the ground, and then slowly pushed her buns of steel towards me. Oh, my heart… My hand flew to my chest. Oh good. Still beating, whew! When she straightened back up, she swung her body around. Her fingers splayed on her sides and travelled up to her chest, cupping her bra-clad breasts with a saucy wink. She undulated towards me till my face was just inches away from her lovely flesh, and she dipped low enough for my nose to brush against her cleavage. Grinning up at her, I dove in and nuzzled my face against the heavenly softness. _So that's what it feels like. _No wonder guys loved doing that! Ivy jiggled her boobs, making me laugh even as I pressed my face ever closer. She crawled on top of my thighs and straddled me.

"Ooh, my first lap dance."

Ivy smiled. "First one's free."

"Oh? How much does it usually cost?"

"An arm and a leg," she said as she kissed my nose, and I rolled my eyes at her cheeky grin. "Baby, you wouldn't be able to afford me, but I'm sure we can work out a payment plan."

I shivered as I imagined what would entail this 'payment plan' of hers. I hoped it involved a naked massage or me washing her entire luscious body. A tongue bath may be a little advanced with my lack of girl-on-girl experience, but I'd always been a quick learner, especially with juuuust a bit of hands-on training.

As Ivy's body shimmied against my front, my hands latched onto her back like heat-seeking missiles out to find Weapons of Mind Destruction. Those Tamwood WMD's, I tell ya, they'd mess you up for good if you weren't careful. I massaged and caressed her back, going lower till my hands were filled with her rear. God, they were so tight and round, yet soft and supple, and they clenched when I squeezed them.

She pulled back when I reached for her bra clasp. Damn, I thought she was distracted! I missed my chance again! _Sigh_. She got up and off the bed, dammit, but at least I got an eyeful of her satin and lace covered booty. My mouth went dry. _Yeah, that's what happens when your jaw hangs wide open and you start hyperventilating._ She started swaying her hips in circular motions again, slowly spinning till she faced me and then turning back around. I sucked in my breath so hard I could have choked. My fingers gripped the bed till my knuckles were taut. I _really_ loved the way her panties rested on the upper curves of her creamy, pale cheeks. Such a bountiful bootayyy!

"Is it wet in here or is it just me?" I thought deliriously, but then Ivy chuckled, low and lusty. Uh, I must have said that out loud.

"Mmm, I like the sound of that. Why don't we find out together?"

"Ivy... my God, look at you."

"Yesss, look at me. Touch me."

I grabbed her and rubbed my palms against her cheeks, traced the tops of her panties, then along the bottom edges, making her hiss. I caressed the bare flesh with my fingertips and then squeezed.

"Rachellll," Ivy moaned. She started swaying her hips again, and my eyes were glued to her bottom as they shook, jiggled, tensed and relaxed. Then with her legs spread wide, she dipped her body down till she almost touched the ground.

I groaned at the sight. And slapped her ass. Like, baaaam! Ivy moaned. My brows shot up. I grinned smugly. "Liked that, did ya?"

She looked over her shoulder at me and winked. I slapped her other butt cheek. Her face twitched in pleasure as another throaty groan escaped her throat. I filed that away under my new catalogue of Things That Make Ivy Make Ridiculously Sexy Noises. See? I can take detailed notes, too. I couldn't wait to find out what else to add to the list!

"Ivy, these are sooo sexy on you, but they're absolutely unnecessary."

"Oh? Then what do you plan to do about it?"

She only had these two last pieces of flimsy fabric to get rid of, but the minx wasn't making it easy for me to remove them. I could at least try to talk her out of them. "You mean, there's no handy switch that can make these disappear?"

"Well, there _is_ a button, but it's inside."

I laughed as her fingers playfully dipped inside the edge of her panties. "The inventor was either really stupid or a genius. Either way, these are coming off _now_."

I grasped the elastic band and began to pull her panties down, inch by inch. Wow... her ass looked even better completely naked! I planted a kiss on top of each swell, earning a gasp and a whimper, and resumed peeling off her panties down her legs. Once they reached her knees, they fell to the floor. Ivy stepped out of them carefully. Being a helpful girlfriend and all, I made sure she kept her balance by grabbing her derrière. I ran my hands down the sides of her thighs and up the back to squeeze both cheeks, caressed her skin over her hips, up her sides and down her back, my palms and fingertips glorying in the sensation of silken warmth. Ivy hissed as her muscles twitched and goose bumps formed.

She sat between my legs on the bed. Apparently her lap dance was far from over.

"Where did you learn how to move like that?" I asked huskily and nipped her shoulder. She gasped, and her butt ground against my crotch. With a groan, my hands went everywhere they could reach.

"In stripper school of course."

"Let me guess," I said as I pulled aside her curtain of dark hair, nuzzling and kissing her nape, prompting more hisses and explosive sighs. Ivy molded her body against mine. "You got a Masters from Stripper U?"

"Uh-huh. It came in handy for certain missions."

"Oh, I'll bet." I knew she was joking, yet the thought sent a stab of jealousy through me. When we were I.S. partners, seduction took little effort on her part. They all lusted after her at first sight. She didn't need to release pheromones to wrap anybody around her finger. Setting this aside, I resumed our banter. "So what's your stripper name?"

"Delilah." She turned her head toward me, but before I could kiss her, her mouth simply hovered along my jaw and then nuzzled my ear, blowing a tantalizing stream of hot breath.

"Oh my." I shivered.

She took my hands from her thighs and dragged them over her waist. "Miss Ride Attendant, I'm ready for my safety inspection."

Laughing, my hands roamed eagerly over her sides, her abs, tickled the skin around her bellybutton ring, and (ooh la la!) groped her generous breasts.

"Mmm, Rachel. That feels good."

My mouth watered at the weight of her breasts. They filled my entire hands, wow! I slipped my hands beneath her bra to get a better feel. _So soft._ Her skin was baby smooth, mmm. Her nipples pebbled, straining against my palms as I cupped them. Ivy whimpered as she watched me rub in circles, and I loved the way the tips grazed the center of my palms.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid we'll need to loosen this up," I said seriously. "It's too tight for you."

My sexy vampire chuckled, deep and low. "You know best, I'm sure. Loosen away."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Like a teenage boy about to get laid for the very first time, my hands eagerly went to her back, about to unhook her bra, but I paused at the last second, afraid to fumble in my haste. I brightened as a sneaky thought entered my mind. My fingers slipped under the straps on her shoulder blades. She hissed as I caressed her skin with the back of my fingers and pulled on the straps, but not too much. I needed skin contact. With the pads of my fingers under the straps, I caressed my way over her shoulders and down her chest. Her breath hitched as I dipped my fingers inside the lacy cups, not quite touching the areolas.

"Yup, too tight," I whispered hotly in her ear. "We need to get these off right away."

Ivy hummed in approval, arching into my hands. I slowly slid my fingers back under the straps, skimming across her back till I reached the clasp. I held my breath as I finally unhooked it. Ivy joined me in exhaling as I parted the bra. I slid the straps slowly down her shoulders, her arms, till they gathered at her elbows. Gulping, I closed my eyes, chest heaving deeply.

"All done," I murmured against her neck, nipping lightly.

Ivy removed her bra the rest of the way. I watched her fling it to the side without a care. I didn't care where it landed, either. Ivy raised her palms, signaling that I should place mine over them, so I did. She pulled me close till my breasts were pressed against her back. We both moaned at the contact. I nearly swooned when she brought my hands flush against her bare breasts. She leaned her back against me as I palmed them and ran my fingers over the tight little buds. I kissed her temple, her jaw, and suckled her earlobe. She moaned out loud. Wanting to hear more of it, my mouth latched onto her neck.

"Ah!" She trembled against my body, and I smiled with pride into her neck, purring as I massaged her breasts.

"You like that?"

"Mmm, yeahhh."

I found myself debating which was more fun: her body or roller coasters—a ridiculous question, really, since both provided oodles of fun and excitement. With a silent promise to return to her breasts, I ran my hands along the slopes of her forearms, biceps, triceps and deltoids, rubbing, squeezing, massaging along with oohs and ahhs of wonderment. Her muscles were lean and taut, without an ounce of fat, I was sure, yet still her skin was incredibly silky, supple and warm. It felt so good to rub my breasts against her back just as my hands partied back on her chest. I wanted more. God, I was beyond turned on. I nipped the crook of her neck and nibbled my way to her shoulder, eliciting more gasps and whimpers. She was so responsive to my touch and my kisses, moaning with me, arching and molding her body against me. But it wasn't enough.

"Can I see you now?" I asked breathlessly. "Don't get me wrong. The view from behind is spectacular, but you deserve a full frontal inspection, too, you know."

"Do I, now?"

"Uh-huh. Pretty—" _Whoosh!_ "—please?"

Holy wow! One minute I was nodding my head vigorously and the next minute I had a lapful of naked perfection. Her scrumptious legs settled on either side of my thighs. But before I could get a closer look, Ivy kissed me senseless. I had my eyes closed when she pulled back, and when I opened them my jaw dropped, hell, my tongue felt like it shriveled up, and my eyes practically popped out of their sockets as they darted all over the creamy, perky fullness staring me in the face. Like a woman dying of thirst, I drank in the sight of her. Ivy brushed her long, raven hair over her shoulder, giving me an unobstructed view of the works of art on her chest. Her breasts stood high and proud. I swallowed thickly at the sight of her nipples, sticking out like buttons begging to be pushed. My tongue poked out to moisten my lips, struck by a sudden an urge to swipe at them.

_Whoa, how did my hands get there? _

Apparently my fingers were operating of their own accord and decided to do the swiping first. Ivy's chest heaved as my pads of my fingers caressed her skin. My god, her flesh was warm and soft and silky and... and... so round and _big!_

My hands meandered down her sides, her middle piquing my attention next. Her abs boasted of hundreds of daily sit-ups, but were toned just right, without being heavily sculpted. (I had never really been a huge fan of six-pack washboards on a girl, and Ivy's firm tummy represented perfection.) Her belly button ring winked at me, and below that lay a neatly trimmed, designer-shaved patch of jet black hair over her mound. And I was proud to feel moisture glistening down her inner thighs. My gaze swept back up the way they came, only this time I made it up to her face. A look of molten heat greeted me.

"Do you have any idea how hard it's been for me not to ravish you?" Ivy asked, her voice now of a much lower timbre.

I swallowed deeply. I could only shake my head. I was too busy ogling, I might have even drooled. I reached up to wipe my mouth just in case. Just like that, I became Naked Ivy's Number One Fan, not that I wasn't already a fan of Non-Naked Ivy, but Naked Ivy was even better!

Oh my God, I sooo won the girlfriend lottery! Beneath all those curves and all that softness lay such incredible strength and raw power. She had such dainty looking hands and fingers that could clamp down around your neck and crush your windpipe so swiftly, you'd think you only imagined being alive until that last moment before the lights went out permanently. Her mind was as sharp as her fangs, and her body just as deadly.

_Eat your heart out and die, Snow White. Ivy is not only the fairest, but _the_ loveliest ass kicking, katana-wielding, smoking-hot badass of them all! _

If I wasn't so rooted to the bed, I would have jumped for joy, clapped my hands and squealed, not to mention patted myself profusely on the back for my great fortune as I contemplated my proverbial deflowerment. Sitting here and staring at Ivy made me feel like a maiden on her First Lesbian Voyage, and I couldn't wait!

Ivy's body glistened with a fine sheen of perspiration, her skin unblemished but for a few scars that only served to make her look even more appealing. Superior genetics all around and sculpted to perfection, with all those curves in all the right places. It was so unfair, she was blessed everywhere!

"Am I?" she smiled coquettishly.

Woops, did I say that last thought out loud, too? My train of thought derailed when she gently pushed me down.

"Why don't you lie back and get comfortable, hmm?"

My heart pounded with excitement and anticipation as I scooted back on the bed toward the headboard, and soon the sexiest vampire on earth started crawling on all fours, stalking towards me like a tigress in heat. As she hovered over my body, for a moment, the tigress turned into a kitten.

"I love you so much, Rachel. I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy. Ecstatic, even." She wiggled her eyebrows.

A smile spread across my face. "Yeah, about that… are we ready to pick up where we left off?" I said coyly, "I've still got this little thing on." I grabbed her butt and ground my frill-covered pelvis against hers.

She chuckled. Her smile turned into a leer, but instead of being lecherous it was enticing. Her eyes roamed down my body as she murmured in that low voice that made me shiver, "Good point." Damn, she looked like she wanted to eat me alive. Goody! "But first..." Ivy reached for my charm necklace.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I batted at her hand and covered the necklace. Suddenly I felt completely naked and vulnerable. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You don't need it."

"Yes, I do. My hair, it's—"

"Gorgeous. I love your hair just the way it is without the charm." Her face softened. "Don't you see? You're one extraordinary, magical creature, Rachel Morgan. Don't you know how truly beautiful you are?" She placed her hand on top of mine gently. "Please?"

Grudgingly, I released the charm necklace, which she took off with care. Like a wildly spreading forest fire, my hair reverted to an untamed mess of curls, no doubt turning frizzy in some places. Yet, Ivy simply looked upon them with adoration and amazement. She reached for my charm ring next. "But—"

"I want to see _all_ of you, Rachel, just as you are. Please don't hide your true self from me."

After a few moments, I nodded, sighing. As she slipped the ring off my finger, I looked away in embarrassment, knowing freckles began to dot my face and everywhere else. Again, all I could see in Ivy's face was a deep fondness. A single tear fell down my cheek. She wiped it with her thumb and leaned down to kiss me softly.

"I meant what I said. I love you, Rachel, and I want to love you completely. Just as you are."

~~~oOo~~~

At moments like this, I felt blessed to have heightened senses, because everything about Rachel filled me with delight. The way she looked, the way she smelled, the way she laughed, the way her body felt when I simply held her in my arms. Her heat, her skin, silky smooth against my hands. The taste of it upon my lips and tongue, dear God, my mouth couldn't get enough. I'd always wondered what redwood tasted like, since smell and taste were linked. It was... smoky, spicy, which was just as well, because the woman in my arms was sizzling hot, and I couldn't wait to have all of her. I moaned at the thought, which Rachel echoed. Music to my ears, like my favorite piece of jazz.

Years ago, when I got tired of wanting to strangle her back in our I.S. days, I had an epiphany. I came to realize that, in essence, Rachel was like a jazz musician.

Jazz had a little bit of structure around a core melody, then all else was fair game for improvisation, an exploration of music according to one's mood. I lived by rules and structure—things that I valued, but which also left me stifled and caged. Playing jazz made me feel liberated, it allowed me to deviate, to improvise in structured chaos, and I gloried in it.

My witch played everything by ear, so to speak. She knew what the rules were. She just didn't give a damn about them like I did. Instead, she bent the rules and followed her impulses, acted without hesitation, somehow doing what was right even when it all seemed so wrong. As much as her devil-may-care approach exasperated me, I envied her sense of freedom and admired her for getting results. Some days, somehow, things would work out in the end.

Then one day it finally hit me—it was like Rachel was playing jazz. I respected her for it, because it meant she always had a choice, a measure of control, even in the midst of chaos. Her good intentions and keen instinct bagged the baddies, protected the innocent and saved them, even when she received no credit. She followed her heart even when her judgment was suspect, even though her heart might cloud the truth.

Rachel had plenty of heart, bravado, and was one sexy, badass force to be reckoned with. And now, all of her was revealed to me, freckles and all, and she had never looked more beautiful.

And now I shall play with her body like a piano and make her come alive, drive her wild as my hands and lips roam all over. I'll make her sing a melody of moans and sighs, and climb with her to a crescendo so powerful that neither of us would be able to get up from here for a long, long while.

I kissed Rachel deeply, and in that kiss I poured all the love I felt for her, pure and unconditional. I loved her despite her mulishness and all her waffling. I desired her even though she thought of herself as physically inferior. What nonsense.

"Large breasts are overrated," I said, palming the smooth curve that filled my hand.

"Mmm. You're only saying that because you take yours for granted."

"Maybe, but I love yours. You know, they're just window dressing."

"Huh?"

"Underneath is the biggest heart. Mine can't even compare." Rachel was about to protest, but I pressed my lips on her breast to get her attention. "This... the way it beats... this tells me so much about you. You wear your emotions in your eyes, on your face, but everything starts here. It tells me things you cannot hide, whether you're truly fine or if you're hurting, if you're worried, anxious, or simply excited." I leaned down and pressed my ear above her chest. "When you're happy, it beats loud and clear, it almost tickles when I hear you giggle because your heart beats so freely. Relaxed. Soothing... This is how I know the real you." I looked up and gazed at her. "And sometimes I... like to think that our hearts resonate. 'Cause I can feel what you feel."

"Oh Ivy." Rachel cupped my face, caressed my cheeks. "I never thought you'd turn out to be such a sweet talker."

"It's simply the truth." I kissed her softly. "You have no idea how truly ravishing you are, especially right now." I leaned down once more. Eyes closed, I rubbed my lips and cheeks against her luscious swells of flesh, loving the way her perspiration commingled with mine. "Your heart's beating wildly. It's mesmerizing." I inhaled deeply. "Intoxicating."

"Oh yeah?" The words came out breathlessly. Her eyes fluttered. "Why is that?"

"Because you're horny," I said matter-of-factly, prompting her to laugh. "Desire never smelled so sweet. I can almost taste it." Rachel whimpered. Her eyelids grew heavier, her eyes smoky, and her breathing grew deeper. It reminded me of what started all this. "So yes, I love your breasts." I gazed at the rock-hard tips, then bent down to show my appreciation. "See, I can hold them... kiss them... lick them... suck them... Mmmm, delicious." She gasped and moaned as I lavished them with affection again and again. "Sensitive." Kiss. "Responsive." Lick. "Perfect."

Groaning, Rachel dragged me up to her and kissed me hard. I settled on top of her body and sank into her softness and heat. Equally ravenous, I purred into her mouth. At last we were skin to skin everywhere. Well, almost. Rachel still had her panties left, and to my supreme satisfaction, they were soaking wet against my fingertips.

"Ivy, please!" she rasped as I stroked her flesh. "Take it off."

With a vigorous nod, I rained hot and wet kisses down her throat, the valley of her breasts, her nipples, the undersides, her abs, her navel. She squirmed and panted beneath me, moaning my name as she squeezed my scalp. One more lick and my hair was jerked backward. I hissed, and then my breath caught at the hunger shimmering in her eyes, a sea of green, or rather, like an evergreen forest in flames, burning with passion for me.

I licked my lips and gazed at her frilly panties, tracing the ruffles with reverence and yearning. At last one of my fantasies will come true.

"_Ivyyyyyyyy_."

I pressed my face against the frills, inhaling deeply. "You smell _so good,_ Rachel."

"Ah!"

She bucked up into my face as I nudged the material aside with my fingers to reveal the seat of her passion. Her clit throbbed and clenched against my nose as I nuzzled it. Her labia swelled as I kissed it, and a fresh wave of moisture gushed forth. Purring, I nuzzled even closer to get another whiff.

"God dammit, Ivyyyyyy!"

I glanced up and shot her a wicked, toothy grin. I bit down delicately on the elastic band and pulled. "Oh my. You shaved." Rachel flushed to the roots of her scalp. "Why, Miss Morgan, were you expecting some action after our date?"

"I... I... um..." Her face looked like a boiling teakettle about to burst with steam. She swallowed deeply. "Heh, well, I thought I'd take a page from your book for once."

"Oh?" My brow twitched upward, and my mouth quirked as my words from earlier were thrown back at me, so I threw hers right back. "And which page is that?"

"To always come prepared. You know, just in case." Though she blushed, Rachel managed an impish grin. "Besides, I had all this free time earlier and..." She shrugged.

"Come prepared, huh? You certainly deserve a reward for taking initiative." I chuckled, deep and throaty. "Don't worry, you'll be getting plenty of action soon enough." I took my merry time with her panties in my mouth, grinning all the way as I headed south. Her wetness, fragrant and divine, painted a trail as her panties brushed down her thighs. Rachel expelled her breath in one explosive sigh when finally it slid over her toes. I lifted her foot to kiss the arch softly, then caressed her calf with my fingers, peppered butterfly kisses on her ankle... her shin... her knee... and lapped up her essence along her inner thigh. _Mmm, yeah._ I parted her legs and positioned myself in between for a more thorough inspection, and soon the pads of my fingers hovered above her mons, drawing her full attention there. I ran my forefinger, ghosting over the smooth surface, earning a gasp. "Ohhh, Rachel. We are going to have so much fun together."

Rachel groaned and nodded morosely. "Fuuuck!"

"Exactly." For now, though I chose to refrain from taking her blood, I shall drink from the fount of her femininity. With one more kiss upon her mound, I murmured, "Will you let me taste you, Rachel?"

~~~oOo~~~

"Oh God, yes!" I rasped deliriously. Must she ask?

Ivy exhaled slowly. Her warm breath washed over me, sending goose bumps all over. She kissed my folds, soft and light, rubbed her lips across from side to side, and ran her tongue thickly along my slit.

"Ohmygod... _Ivyyyy!_"

She dipped her tongue lightly and traced my inner sanctum with the tip, and laved from the bottom up to my clit. I hissed sharply when she flicked it.

"Ohhh, yesss!"

Ivy french kissed my pussy. The soft sucking, slurping sounds further inflamed my lust. Quivering, my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I sank into the bed, gripping the sheets. Oh God! Ivy raised her head to pin me with such a scorching gaze. She licked her lips slowly. I think I gushed.

"Mmmmm, you _taste_ _soooo goood_, Rachel." The way she said that was like a long, drawn out moan. "Your fragrance... all around me, gods, it's like the most exotic perfume." She inhaled deeply and bent down to rub her face along moist flesh. "So wet, just for me?" She looked up. Her nose, and chin were glistening with my juices.

Holy fuck, she looked so hot like that. I could only nod.

Her tongue branded me. She licked me so good, my pussy clenched and throbbed. With every flick of her tongue she had me thrashing, moaning and mewling helplessly. I couldn't stand the torture even as I craved for it to never end. More moisture trickled out. Once again she rubbed her nose and cheeks against the wetness, slathering her face with it. I quivered all over, my whimpers rising in pitch, and for a delirious moment I wondered if she'd smeared her first birthday cake all over her face, too. My pelvis bucked up helplessly when she resumed licking, slurping. "Fuuuuck, Ivy!" My sexy vampire grasped my hips... then rolled me over! "Wait, I thought—"

"Not yet, my love. But I will, I promise you," she said as her sweat-slicked breasts glided up my back till she settled on top of me. As she kissed my shoulder, her hands reached under to palm my breasts.

"Ivyyyy." No budge. "God dammit, Ivy!"

"I have waited for this for _years_. You need to learn a little patience, witch."

"I need _you!_ I need you _now_. Will you just—ah!"

She pinched my tender nipples, then ran her palms over them. "What, lick you here?" Her tongue slid up my non-scarred neck, making me hiss. "Kiss you here?" She nuzzled my hair aside, kissed and licked my nape, and ground her crotch against my ass. "Or put my mouth here_?_" She took my earlobe in her mouth and suckled. I groaned, my hands fisting on the sheets till my knuckles went white. "I want to taste _all of you_."

Memories of earlier flashed through my mind, and I felt as if she'd just licked my slit all over again. Except she wasn't doing that right _nowwww_. Argh! But the wench's hand found its way between my thighs, and as she licked and nibbled and suckled patches of my skin around my shoulder and neck, her fingers stroked my moist flesh. "Christ! Ivy, you're killing me here."

Trembling, my vampire moaned again as she rubbed her entire body against me while suckling my earlobe once more. Her moisture dribbled down to join my own between my legs. I could hear her taking a deep breath, no doubt basking in the scent of redwood and incense, an especially potent blend for her vampiric senses. With her hands and mouth, Ivy mapped my body, and for a while she seemed content to simply knead and touch me wherever she pleased, purring and sighing, as if committing it to memory. I realized then that even as she teased us both, she was marking me—rather thoroughly, I might add—and I was putty in her hands.

Her name came out in a tremulous warble from my lips, a desperate plea for mercy. _How can she be so patient like this?_ My mind screamed in protest. _What happened to all that pent up lust from years of being denied?_ I was about to voice this out when her next words came.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for me not to ravish you right now?"

"Yes! No. Maybe..." My brows wrinkled. My brain was shutting down. All my energy was zeroing in on all my erogenous zones. "What?"

Ivy chuckled throatily against my ear. Her voice was impossibly low, sexy as hell and filled with wicked promise. "That's okay. Just feel."

She proceeded to kiss and lick her way down my spine, teeth grazing, teasing, while the tips of her fingers caressed in random patterns down my back, igniting nerve pathways, sending pleasure rippling in waves all over. I mewled and whimpered, squirming and gasping in delight, helpless against the onslaught. I was embarrassingly wet for her, and I ached and throbbed to feel her touch everywhere, inside and out.

Ivy mumbled something against the small of my back. Her lips and fingertips traced the curve of my butt cheeks. "God, I love these. So tight and sexy."

"Oh?" I managed to say. "Is that why you stared at them so much?" I sucked in my breath when I felt her nip me with her teeth. "I thought I had a target on my ass all the time."

"You might as well," she replied throatily. "Mmm, I love everything about you."

She showered kisses all over, nipping and licking till she found a particularly sensitive spot on one cheek. She stayed there for a while, her tongue swirling slowly till I screamed. God, it was so intense! It was a pleasure epicenter I never even knew existed. At last, she parted my legs and blew on my center, at once hot and cold. She laved the sides of my labia, not quite touching them. It was like her tongue was igniting a trail of gunpowder, and the pleasure crackled till I felt like exploding. If she didn't finish me off soon, I just might go off on my own!

She kissed down my legs—Jesus H. Christ!—worshipping them, sometimes tickling me. More nerve endings fired up, and just when I thought I really couldn't take it anymore, she gently rolled me over. I sighed with relief. _Finally!_ But then she only stared intently at my sex. I almost screamed at her to just dive in and have at it already, but then her eyes flicked my way and shot me a look of pure heat.

"Are you ready?"

I nodded vigorously, unable to speak. That earned me yet another sensuous smile. I swallowed thickly.

Ivy ran her finger—a long one, oh yes—down my slit. She lifted her finger, and I could see my juices coating the entire length. She licked my juices from hilt to fingertip. My mouth went dry as I watched her take another dip, then let her finger slowly disappear into her mouth. Her eyes closed in rapture as she slowly sucked her finger.

"Mmmmm," she moaned.

I... sounded yummy, and I was more than happy to let her sample everything she wanted. I couldn't help but whimper each time my lady bits throbbed from the sounds of her enjoyment. "Ivy, _please!_ I can't stand it."

"I love it when you beg. Please what, dear heart?"

"Your tongue." Jesus, why the hell was I making her talk? Listening to her made me want to come so badly, it was killing me. "_Please_, just lick me!"

And lick me she did. Ivy lavished my pulsating flesh with long, languid strokes, with kisses and nibbles. Her tongue swept up and down my slit... sideways... in circles... taking her time, moaning with me.

"Holy fuuu—" I groaned. "Sweet mother of..." Gasp. _"Ivyyyy!"_

I'd never had a lover who'd kissed me like this, and I had to admire her restraint. I felt the barely leashed passion in every brush of her lips, every sweep of her tongue. Ivy licked me like I was her favorite lollipop, as if I was the last piece of candy that she would ever taste and she wanted to enjoy every bit. Oh God. I shivered as Ivy's kisses intensified. The woman was an artist, a cunning linguist extraordinaire. _Yessss!_ She suckled and licked me into submission. I arched up into her mouth with abandon and rocked against her face, silently begging for more. I writhed, helpless against the onslaught, wanting release, yet wanting her to go on and on till I completely lost my mind.

"You're sooo good!"

"Mmm." Ivy licked her lips. "You make it easy when you're so delicious." Ivy leaned in once more and claimed my pussy lips. She flicked her oh so talented tongue up my slit, gliding, sliding, and finally probing inside.

"_Fuuuuuck!"_

Sweet heaven, I could die happy right now! I grasped her head and gripped her hair, molding her face to me. "There... Oh God, yes! Like that."

Her finger moved to caress my perineum, that smooth little patch of flesh at the base of my slit, and for a brief moment I tensed, not knowing where she was going with that. Her fingertip trailed upward and teased my inner lips as she licked her way up to my clit and sucked. I hissed, groaned. Finally her fingertip delved deeper past the opening, slowly moving in an inch, then withdrawing just as slowly. She licked my flesh as she repeated the motion, and as her tongue increased pressure, her finger burrowed in just a bit more, till finally it settled in deep inside of me. I moaned breathlessly as she pressed her finger down.

"Ivyyyyyy."

She withdrew it once more, only to have a second finger join the trek back in. In and out she caressed me, sometimes pressing down. I felt full, as if I was taking in much more than just two slender fingers. Ohhh, it felt so good, the way she filled me. No one had ever touched me inside so intimately. It never felt this good when I touched myself. There were times when I wondered what it would be like to be filled and eaten out at the same time. Now I knew, and God, was it fucking fantastic!

Ivy continued to lick and probe. Then her mouth closed in on my clit once more, and as she started to suck, her fingers smoothly rolled up, the pads caressing spongy flesh, teasing and beckoning for me to come. I wanted it, too. I wanted to come for her. I could feel it building. My legs spread wider, my hips shot up, my neck and back arched. My moans reverberated across the walls.

"Yesss!"

She kept on rubbing. And sucking. The suction intensified. Suddenly a great wave of heat shot up my body to my chest, to my face. I screamed. I felt like my entire body was going to burst. Filled to the brim with pleasure, my core erupted. The dam broke, as if a tsunami thundered past, shattering walls and along with it, my sanity. I screamed her name over and over as the tides of pleasure crested and crashed. My fluids gushed as I rode the waves of ecstasy. I squeezed my eyes shut as my body quaked in violent spasms till I was finally spent. I sank on the bed in bliss.

"Oh my God," I said between pants. "Ivy...? Holy... wowww."

The vampire in question lifted her head and smiled at me, a look of supreme satisfaction painted on her face, along with a healthy dose of smugness. Yup, the vampire sure was proud of her handiwork. And licky-sucky work, hehe. I didn't mind her gloating. She earned it!

"Not bad, huh?"

I was too weak to do anything more than grin stupidly. Then I realized belatedly that her fingers were still buried inside me. Just when I thought she would remove them, she plowed back in. I gasped in surprise and pleasure. Then she bent down and licked my juices. To say that it was bountiful would be an understatement, which meant that she spent a long moment at her task, stoking the embers. I was still reeling from all that pleasure, so it didn't take much for me to have another mind-blowing orgasm. Then another. O... M... Geeee! I fell back exhausted, I almost felt almost comatose.

Ivy mumbled something.

"What?" I asked weakly, twitching. In a good way. Like, _really_ good. Super duper, slap-me-silly good.

"I said," she replied in between licks, "I don't know which... I enjoy more... Your blood... or this."

Seemingly finished, she began to withdraw her fingers. My breath hitched as my walls gripped them. My pussy had a mind of its own, I swear! And apparently it didn't want them to go.

Ivy grinned from ear to ear. She left her fingers in and kissed the tops and the inside of thighs, made her way up to my navel, the undersides of my breasts, my nipples, my collarbone, till at last she claimed my mouth. I groaned as I tasted myself on her tongue. She settled atop my body, and I moaned anew at the feel of her all around me.

"Mmmmm," her throat rumbled against my neck.

"You can say that again."

She kissed my cheek then gazed at me, radiating such joy. I'll bet I looked the same. In fact, my cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much. "I loved eating your pussy, Rachel."

"Lucky me. You tiger you. Rowrrr!" I giggled, smitten and giddy in her arms. I kissed her tenderly. "Thank you."

"Mmmmm, that was just the opening ceremony."

"Oh?"

"Uh huh." Her brows wiggled, as did the fingers still inside me, and I gasped. "I love making you come."

"Dear me." My nose wrinkled, tickled at her playfulness. "Whatever will I do?"

I caressed her cheek, simply enjoying the moment, reveling in the silence that followed. Alas, I could only stay quiet for so long. "You're so beautiful."

"_You're_ beautiful." I shouldn't have been surprised that she heard me whisper. She smiled at me with such fondness.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips upon hers, hungry for more of her. Caressing her sides, my tongue delved into her mouth. I tasted more of myself, reminding me of the passion we just shared.

"_Rachel."_

"I want to..." My forehead creased as I paused to think, which was hard because I still felt rather stupefied by euphoria. I didn't know what I wanted exactly. I wanted her to make to make me come. I wanted to make _her_ come, but I didn't know where to start. Jeez, I'm such a noob. And so gay for her. Suddenly I wanted to return the favor, but whatever it was that I wanted lay forgotten when Ivy's mouth traveled down my throat, licked the hollow, and found the skin above my hidden scars.

"Ah!" I hissed and arched into her.

She squeezed my mons in reflex. Her palm grazed my still tingling clit, and her fingers buried deeper inside. We both moaned. She growled against my ear, pulling at the lobe with her teeth. "I just had you and now I want you again."

Suddenly Ivy leaned back and began to remove her hand from inside of me. Her fingers slid out and I groaned at the loss. She sat on her haunches and proceeded to lick and suckle her fingers thoroughly. Oh God.

"I can't get enough of you," she said, licking her lips.

_Hot damn._ Well, _I_ couldn't get enough of _her._ And her oh so talented mouth. Mm-hmm! "Well then, by all means," I purred, spreading my legs wider, somehow re-energized. I planted my feet on the bed and lifted my pelvis slowly. Her eyes followed the swaying motion. "The buffet is still open for business."

"I see." Her lips curled into a sexy grin. "You naughty girl."

My brows wiggled. "Just stating the obvious."

~~~oOo~~~

Little did my scrumptious little temptress know that I desperately needed to get some control back. It was a mistake to kiss her neck and tease the scars like that. Her blood had been pumping so much, and each time she climaxed, her blood sang to me like a mythical siren. It was more than I could bear. I knew that her blood, saturated with endorphins, would be at its sweetest now.

For years Rachel had put me to the test. Recently I thought I had reached a new level of self-control. I had finally learned to separate blood from sex. I was finally able to enjoy either one without desperately needing the other, and I had never been so proud of myself. With Rachel, I had always wanted both. I couldn't allow myself to relapse like some crack junkie. I had worked too hard to get this far.

As she lay there, I was so deeply touched by her complete trust. And so afraid. Everything I'd ever wanted, everything I'd ever dreamed of with this woman was right here, right now, and I could finally taste it. I just had to be patient and not take it all at once.

My lust warred with whatever romantic fantasies I held about taking her gently. God, how I wanted to ravish her, devour her, possess her completely. I wanted to bite her, to feel once more what she called the merging of our auras. Had she felt anything like I had felt then? Serenity. Completeness. That last time, her trust and utter surrender overwhelmed me, and with her acceptance I felt such a profound feeling of warmth envelop my entire being. Oh, how I still craved it after all this time.

Oh Rachel. My dearest love, the keeper of my heart, the guardian of my soul.

_Mine._

The beast inside wanted to dominate and claim the witch completely, wanted her to crave me, to beg me to touch her, taste her, _bite_ her. I wanted it _all_, as I always have and probably always will. And as I watched her eyes glaze with desire, I started to lose myself in them, remembering every keening yet commanding sound from her lips, every clutch of her hands, arms and legs, every grope, every squeeze. God help me...

Still, I wanted to prove to her—and to myself—that I was fully capable of making love without sharing blood. One day, perhaps we could finally share both, but I knew that I had to take it slow. That she was letting me make love to her now was a huge victory in and of itself, and I wasn't about to jeopardize my chances by losing control. Rachel deserved the best loving I could give, so I would try my damnedest to rein in the beast.

I would do anything for her. I would do anything to make her want me with blinding fervor, and I would draw it out of her. _This is my vow._

Armed with renewed determination, I set forth with my plan. I closed my eyes and took several, deep, calming breaths to slow my heartbeat, and willed my libido into stillness even as our mingled scents flowed through me.

_Focus, Ivy. We've made love for loving's sake. We can do it again. I can do this!_

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at her. Her brows rose, probably in surprise and maybe a little confusion. I'd practiced in front of a mirror numerous times, so I knew and felt that my pupils were far less dilated, though not completely back to their natural state.

"Ivy? Is everything alright?

"Yeah. I was just thinking."

"About?"

"How I've wanted you for so long. I finally get to touch you like this... to hear you..."

"I never knew I could want you this badly." Rachel sat up and took my face in her hands. "You're an amazing lover, you know that? I think I'm addicted."

I smiled as I welcomed her embrace, her seeking mouth, her heat, elated that she wanted more. As we kissed, I made sure not to tempt fate by getting close to her throat, so I took a different route. I gently pushed her back down on the bed, and with one last kiss I sat back up and straddled her leg. I palmed her thigh to reassure her.

"Don't worry, we're not close to being done." I lifted her other leg and began to plant lingering kisses along the arch of her foot, her ankle, shin, and the side of her calf, drawing hisses and goose bumps. I placed her ankle over my shoulder and caressed her entire leg.

"Mmm, that feels good."

Rachel's hips rose in reflex. So I scooted forward and pressed my clit against hers.

"Whoa!" Rachel gasped. "Wow, that's..."

Whatever else she had to say was forgotten as she closed her eyes and moaned out loud. Her neck and back arching as I slowly undulated and brushed her clit with mine, the wet, squelching sounds inflaming me.

"Tell me how you feel," I said, voice raspy.

"Amazing! I... unh... it's like... we're French kissing. Ohhh." Her eyes were glazed with pleasure, green pools darker and richer than I had ever seen. So sexy.

I bit my lip and keened. It was so intense. "I've wanted to kiss... this most intimate part of you... with the most intimate part of me."

"_Ivyyyy."_ A guttural moan escaped her throat.

"No one will ever kiss you like this."

"Yes!"

"No one will ever love you like I do, Rachel," I growled, glorying in the way Rachel arched and grinded herself against me. "No one. Only me."

"Ivy!"

Sensation overload. "Yessss, come for me Rachel. Let me see you break."

Desire, love, gratitude, relief, elation, exaltation. I almost felt unglued as all these erupted and rained down like rockets, sparking an exquisite fire that set me ablaze me from inside and out. Spontaneous combustion. _My witch on a pyre,_ I thought deliriously, as ecstasy engulfed us both.

"Ivy. Ivy!"

My heart soared as her body gripped me. I felt so close to her that tears streaked down my cheek. Such sweet bliss, unlike any other. Only one thing could make this moment more perfect, could make me feel more whole, but I was willing to wait.

Next thing I knew, I was sprawled atop Rachel's body, her arms and legs wrapped around me. Both of us were gasping for breath. I kissed her cheek and sighed, hugging her tightly as I rolled onto my back, taking her with me, finally spent. We lay like this for a while, enjoying the afterglow.

"Oh my God. Ivy... That was intense... Incredible. Just... wow."

"Agreed." I smiled against her temple. "Rest up, darling. I'm not done with you yet."

TBC

* * *

><p>Ta dah! I hope you enjoyed Chapter Sexin, er, Seven! :D<p>

This chapter was a challenging exercise in granularity, as in level of steamy details. I debated quite a bit on whether to go with "less is more", a more subtle and poetic approach. But then, the more vocal ones of you demand all the juicy details anyway and I can't help but oblige because, let's face it, I love to indulge in all that sexy goodness! Which of course caused _extra_ delay because each time I, um, fleshed out steamy scenes, my brain often refused to cooperate. What can I say, imagining these two can cause utter befuddlement. It took so many tries to find coherence! XD Anyway, I'm hoping that I succeeded in delivering, er, some sort of poetic raciness, LOL. :P You be the judge, eh?

I'm hoping to conclude this story "soon". Could be 1-2 more chapters, but I can't say for certain because my stories have a habit of taking a life of their own. (I thought this was just going to be 5 chappies!) Till next time...


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